


An Oath Renewed Beneath the Moon

by jerex



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Dungeons & Dragons - All Media Types, Forgotten Realms
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Blood, F/F, Fantasy, Kidnapping, Lesbian Sex, Magic, Major Original Character(s), Minor Character Death, Monsters, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Past Relationship(s), Self-Reflection, Sex, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Strong Female Characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-02-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:08:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 23,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22352347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jerex/pseuds/jerex
Summary: Elizaveta Krieger is a conflicted paladin, trying to sort through her budding feelings for the moon elf Chaedi while they find themselves amidst danger and adventure.
Kudos: 8





	1. The Green Hag's Terror

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Krieger learns of a kidnapping involving a logger's daughter, she and Chaedi of them set out to find her, only to be confronted by terrors and foes unlike others they've seen before.

Elizaveta Krieger awoke, rolling her neck to relieve the crinks from it. Sunlight was streaming through the window with the simple curtains doing little to stop the encroaching rays from heralding the new day. With the events of the previous day still fresh in her mind, her gaze trailed over to the other bed in the cozy room. Her eyes widened, though, when she saw that it lay empty. Krieger glanced around, her gaze stopping on a small paper crane that sat on the edge of her bed.

Puzzled, she reached down and picked it up, almost jumping when the diminutive wings flapped softly in her palm. Krieger saw small, tidy lines, written in a loopy script:

_Elizaveta,_

_I hope you’re not alarmed. I had an early morning and didn’t wish to disturb you, so I decided to go out and explore. I hope you slept well and I’ll be at the tavern for lunch._

_Chaedi_ _♥_

The half-orc read over it a few times, before folding it away and stowing it in her pocket. Something about the moon elf had stirred something within Krieger, but she was wracked with indecision about how to approach it. Her mind drifted back to Michael, the man who had taught her of walking the path of the righteous, and she felt guilt creep through her. With a shake of her head to clear her thoughts, she donned the rest of her gear, checking her pack to make sure that she still had the olive cloak she purchased the day before.

Krieger left their room, locking it before climbing down the stairs to the common room. Several patrons were eating breakfast, but Krieger waved off the maid that approached her and headed for the door. She stepped out of The Silken Sylph and headed down the avenue to the Street of the Singing Dolphin. It was a bright day, with the sky clear of clouds. She walked by several people as she headed down the street, turning onto another avenue so that she would reach the market. A myriad of stalls and stands with merchants stood before her, shouting and carousing to peddle their wares. She walked through them until she came upon one occupied by a peculiar feline man.

“You come this morning! I grew concerned, thinking you had forgot!” said the man, his accent drawing in Krieger. He stood several inches shorter than the seven foot tall half-orc, with red fur spotted with dark yellow rosettes covering his body.

“Good morning to you, Ashatar. I take it you have the potions?” asked Krieger as she approached the tabaxi. His tail flicked with excitement as he waved her over. Ashatar disappeared behind the stand, pulling forth a small wooden crate packed with bottles.

“Made good haul from eels! Look and see, look and see!” he said, offering the crate to Krieger. She grabbed it from him, peering down to see its contents. Twelve bottles, filled to the brim with clear red fluid, sat beside one another and clattered together harmoniously as Krieger handled the crate.

“You’ve outdone yourself,” said Krieger, impressed. She pulled six of the bottles from the crate, setting them aside as she counted out the gold.

“Here you go: seventy-two gold pieces, as we agreed.”

“Shhhh!” he said comically, his head darting to see if she had been overheard. “Is deal for friend! Else, Ashatar would go out of business!”

Krieger gave him an amused grin as she packed the bottles away into her pack, “Of course, my apologies. Tell me, would this deal extend to a friend of mine?”

Ashatar got a shrewd look on his face. Krieger held her hands aloft, defensively. “I meant for the elf that brought you the eels.”

That brought a smile to Ashatar’s face, “Ah yes! She pretty and fun! Yes, yes she can have rest at agreed price.” He nodded eagerly, replacing the crate behind his stand and draping a cloth over it to hide its contents from sight. “Is anything else you need?”

Krieger shook her head, and tipped it slightly in courtesy towards the tabaxi. He gave her a swift nod before turning back to the crowd of people in the market and beginning his carousing antics once more. With her errand taken care of, Krieger sought out an armorer.

She headed southward from the market, making her way to a shop named ‘The Riven Shield Shop’. With curiosity, she pushed open the door and saw a wide arrangement of mail and shields hanging from mannequins and stands. She was immediately accosted by a dragonborn with silver scales.

“Greetings and welcome to my humble business,” he said, his yellow eyes fixing upon Krieger. “Oh my, a half-orc. This is a surprise.”

Krieger cocked her eyebrow, feeling her temper rise as she replied, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I meant no offense, my dear. I just haven’t had the company of one of your ilk for quite some time. I am Khaellen. Is there anything that you are looking for in particular today?”

She eyed the man for a while, before blowing out her bluster, “I’m looking for a shield. Do you have anything that is well-crafted or especially sturdy?”

“A shield you say? Why yes I do have a few of those,” he said, dashing off to a storeroom behind his counter. Krieger heard some clattering of mail and watched him return with several different kinds of shields. There were round, wooden targes; small silvered bucklers; stout heater and kite shields; and even an unwieldy tower shield.

“I carry a variety of styles for even my most diminutive of customers. And if what I carry does not suffice, I can smith you one more to your liking,” said Khaellen.

Krieger ran her hands over the selection, stopping on a kite shield. It was dark, grey with an intricate symbol embossed in the steel. The edge was banded with silver, and when she turned it over, she saw a comfortable handle to grip it by. She lifted it, marveling at its balance.

“I like this one. How much?” she asked.

“For a low fee of twenty gold pieces, you can take that one with you today!” said Khaellen.

Krieger set the shield beside her as she pulled forth the required sum. Her face wavered as she saw that she was quickly running out of coin.

“Thank you for your patronage!” said Khaellen as he counted the coins. Krieger bade him farewell and took her leave. She stepped out onto the High Road, shielding her eyes from the sun that hung high in the air. As she looked around, she saw a familiar pale elf walking from down the road. She held a small, woven sack that was dripping in her right hand. Her hair was still wet, plastered to the sides of her head, and with each step, she bobbed lightly causing her pointed ears to sway. She looked content.

Krieger suppressed a smile as she felt a fluttering from within her, and approached the elf, holding her hand high. “Chaedi!” she called out.

The elf saw her and bounded over, drawing before Krieger. It always amused the half-orc when people had to look up to her, but when Chaedi’s violet and magenta eyes stared up into her face with admiration, Krieger’s amusement melted away into bashfulness.

“Seems like you went for another dive,” said Krieger, holding the tips of some of Chaedi’s wet hair with a smirk.

“I did! It’s been a while since I’ve eaten to have so much energy! I mean…” replied Chaedi, her eyes twitching downwards as her pale cheeks flushed.

“It’s okay,” said Krieger. She felt a rush of protective warmth for the elf, and coughed to try and distract from the tingling in her cheeks.

“I fished up five more oysters, though! I was able to swim deeper and found some promising ones!” said Chaedi, holding up the woven sack. Krieger could smell the mixture of brine and fishiness. 

“I hope you were careful.”

Chaedi nodded, “I didn’t lose anything this time!” She grew sheepish, “…Sorry again, about losing the cloak. I know it was expensive.”

Krieger waved at her, dismissing her concern, “It’s okay. There’s plenty of ne'er do wells in this world that just walk off with other people's stuff.”

Chaedi fell into step beside Krieger as she began walking off, swaying with each step, “Say, have you eaten yet? I’m pretty hungry after that swim.”

Kriger felt herself smirking, “Let’s go back and grab some food then. I can open the oysters for you after we eat.”

Chaedi gave her a beaming smile, which sent more fluttering inside of Krieger. They walked together in relative silence, Chaedi humming now and again as they returned to The Silken Slyph.

After a hearty meal of venison stew, fresh bread and cheese, and flagons of ale, Krieger worked at opening the oysters with Chaedi’s dagger. She had managed to free two pearls from their briny confines when the tavern door burst open and a haggard man stumbled in.

“Please someone! Anyone! Please help me!” he shouted out, almost tripping as he walked to the nearest patron. Krieger looked to the barkeep, who was frowning at the outburst, and then back to Chaedi, who she saw had glimmering sympathy in her eyes.

“Do you want to help him?” asked Krieger as she pried open the last oyster. Chaedi locked eyes with her, and gave a small nod.

Krieger rose from her chair as the man clasped onto another patron, stepping soundly over to him. “Excuse me sir…”

The man latched onto the front of her mail. She felt annoyance, but calmly and firmly pulled his grasp from her. “Please refrain from doing that. It’s rude.”

“Beggin’ yeh pardon, miss,” he said, choking up. His face was covered in soot and grime, and ash clung to his clothes. He smelled of fire and sweat, and Krieger felt her nose wrinkle at him. She heard soft footfalls beside her and knew that Chaedi was beside her.

“What happened?” asked the elf, her mismatched eyes glittering.

“T’was terrible! Monstrous creatures struck my humble home early in the morn, dragging off the others whilst settin’ our homes ablaze! I barely managed to eek out with my life, but my daughter! My beautiful Kiara! She’s gone missin’! I couldn’t find her nowhere,” he bawled, tears flowing free from his eyes. Krieger glanced to a nearby barmaid, holding up two fingers as she led the man to the bar. She retreated behind the bar and pulled forth two tankards, setting them before the half-orc and the man as he hiccuped and wiped his face. She passed him the drink, which he took a long draw from.

“Thank yeh…” he said, sniffling as he wiped his face. “I searched everywhere, sneakin’ back after the ruckus was done, but I couldn’t find her. First her ma, now her...” His shoulders shook as tears fell down his face.

Krieger ran a consoling hand awkwardly on his shoulder, eliciting a kind smile from Chaedi. “Do you know what these creatures were?”

“They’re hulking beasts! Standing on two legs each. Bulky, huge creatures. That’s all I saw before the smoke grew too much for me to see. The screams… the sounds…” the man hiccupped and began crying once more. “My beautiful Kiki…”

Krieger looked to Chaedi, who cleared her throat and asked, “Do you think she’s still out there?”

“I dunno. _I dunno!_ I’m her father! How could I _leave_ Kiki without _knowin’_?!” he bawled once more.

“What di- does she look like?” asked Krieger. Chaedi nodded at her change in the tense of the word.

“She’s beautiful, with tanned skin and dark hair. Just like her mother.”

“What was she wearing last?”

The man hiccupped again and took another drink. “She was— she was wearin’ a simple brown dress with a white shirt beneath. She wore some regular ol’ cloth shoes.” 

Krieger noted all of this and ran another consoling hand on the man’s back before rising. “I will go and search for her. Wait for me here, and I’ll return to you with whatever I find.”

“Wait,” said Chaedi, rising with her. “Where is the town from here and how far?”

“It’s— it’s to the north, some half a day’s march away,” said the man, draining the last of his drink. He climbed from his seat, and stood before Krieger, his head tilting up. Krieger saw hope in his eyes.

“Yeh’re really gonna go find her?”

“With all of my effort,” said Krieger with nod.

“Oh bless yeh. Bless yeh!” he said. He looked as though he was going to clasp onto her again, but stopped himself. “I’ll be here, for when you return.”

Krieger took her leave with Chaedi following beside her. After they left the inn, Krieger made a beeline for the Spires of the Morning. As she approached the grandiose temple, she sought an acolyte.

“Excuse me!” she called out, drawing their attention. “Could you take a message to someone here for me?”

The acolyte approached, but Chaedi tugged on her sleeve. Krieger looked to the elf, who was rummaging through her pack. She pulled out a small piece of parchment. “I can send the message. Who do you wish to send it to and what message?”

Krieger’s brow furrowed, and she held up a hand to pause the acolyte. She waved them away and they retreated back to the grounds.

“You can send Ce-Cindy a message?”

Chaedi nodded, “And it’ll fly right to her. Plus, only she will be able to read it.”

Krieger looked impressed, “Could you tell her what I’m going to do, and that I will be back later and to stay safe while I’m gone?”

Chaedi whispered into the parchment as she folded it into a crane, and once she was done, she launched it into the sky, where it took flight and flew away.

“It’ll get to her.”

Krieger felt a rush of affection towards the elf, but also a feeling of guilt, “Chaedi, this is going to be dangerous. I cannot ask that you come with me.”

“That’s too bad. I’m going with you anyways.”

Krieger was taken aback, “It will be hard with just the two of us.”

“Even more so by yourself. I’m going.”

Krieger felt herself frown. The elf was normally soft-spoken, but as she stared into her eyes she saw a resolve deep within them, alongside the customary twinkle in her violet eye.

She rested her hands on the elf’s shoulders, “Very well. Promise me though, that if things take a turn for the worse, that if it comes down between choosing to save me and saving yourself, that you will flee and save yourself.”

“What?”

“Promise me that. I cannot go if you do not promise me this.”

Chaedi pulled her hands from her shoulders, holding them in hers for a moment before replying softly, “I will never make that promise. We will both make it back.” She was convicted, more so than the half-orc had ever witnessed the elf.

Krieger let out a sigh, “Very well. I have some preparations to make before we leave. Let’s meet at the North Gate around midday.”

Chaedi nodded, and bounded off towards the market. Krieger watched her go with a small pang in her heart.

Krieger made her way back to the tailor she had met the day before, walking with urgency over the threshold to the shop. The halfling turned towards her, smiling as he regarded her.

“Welcome back, friend! I have your order done if you wish to take it now.”

Krieger paused, “That was quick. I thought you needed a few days.”

“I had little business after you left yesterday evening so I managed to get it done,” he retreated to the back and brought forth a deep maroon cloak lined with faux fur. “Is it to your liking?”

“Yes,” said Krieger as she inspected it. “Thank you so much for making this.”

“It’s all part of the trade. Now about my payment… I know I gave you a discount for the promise of advertisement from a renowned friend of yours…” he said, eyeing the half-orc.

“Yes and I swear that I will let him know as soon as I can. I have been called to a job, and I need to finish it before I can. I hope that’s okay.”

He looked into her face, and nodded, seeing the urgency in it, “Aye, that is fine. Do not wait for too long though. I cannot eat solely off of kindness.”

She gave him an affirming nod, “I shall do what I can.”

With all of her tasks taken care of, Krieger made her way to the North Gate, where she found Chaedi waiting for her. The elf had a laden pack on her back, with several other adornments to her attire.

“I managed to sell the pearls and grab some things for the road,” said Chaedi as she saw Krieger’s inquiring gaze.

“That’s good. This is going to be a long march. Are you ready?”

Chaedi nodded, smiling at her.

The two marched quickly, putting Waterdeep behind them as they made their way up the road. Chaedi pointed to a landmark she had learned from her questions as she prepared for the trek, and Krieger was once more impressed with the resourceful elf. It became evident to Krieger as Chaedi guided them through the woods that the elf was used to walking the lands and wilds alone. She knew what questions to ask, and what to expect as they wove through the wilds. They trudged through the forest, each footfall bringing a strangely satisfying crunch.

“What did you learn, Chaedi, about what we’re getting into?”

“There’s seemingly been a series of attacks on small hamlets and thorpes around Waterdeep,” she said, her voice clipped with anger, “but because they happen in remote communities like the town we’re going to, Waterdeep has yet to send aid.”

That notion unnerved Krieger, and she reached for the axe on her belt, her hand running down the handle in comfort. She was confident that she could face any foe that they came across, but while she found that Chaedi was resourceful, she was uneasy about the elf’s prowess in combat.

They continued through the woods, Chaedi pausing now and again to get a bearing on their direction. She led them onwards, deeper into the thickening trees, until the smell of ash and smoke wafted in their direction. Krieger held up her hand, her eyes searching for anything that may still be lurking in the woods. After a moment, she nodded and started walking forward when she heard soft chanting from Chaedi. She glanced back, and watched Chaedi finish several intricate gestures, her mismatched eyes slightly radiating arcane energy. The normal shirt she wore seemed to stiffen against her form and somehow thickened.

Krieger beckoned her for an explanation with a tilt of her head.

“It’s to protect me better,” said Chaedi simply.

Krieger nodded, and drew her shield and battleaxe, her breathing hastening with anticipation. Together, they entered the ruined hamlet.

The buildings were ashen skeletons of their former selves. Soot and ash mixed with the dirt amongst the scattered footsteps in a melody of chaos. Several piles of thick, congealed mud indicated to Krieger that blood had been spilled here, and she kept her guard up as she searched through the ruins. Nothing had been spared in this raid it seemed, and even when Krieger sifted through the ashes of the buildings, she was unable to discern anything that would lead her to believe Kiara was alive.

Krieger continued to stalk around, trying to match the footprints that remained. It seemed that the large, monstrous footprints had come from all around the woods, coalescing in the center. She managed to find that they tended to converge and disperse to the north and east, but she only noted that so that they would be able to avoid confrontation. Despite the latent fury that coursed through her veins, Krieger had no wish to do battle this evening.

She returned to Chaedi’s side as the elf was examining the first ring of trees around the hamlet, “Eerie, isn’t it?”

“What is?”

“The fire seemed all-encompassing, and yet it stopped upon reaching the first ring of trees.” Chaedi drew her hands away from the scorched bark, rubbing her fingers against one another as she felt the ash. She frowned.

“Do you think that was planned?”

“I think it was an explosion,” said Chaedi.

Krieger felt herself gnash her teeth, a normal response she had whenever she felt threatened. “I’m not sure what it means.”

“Nor am I,” admitted Chaedi as she rose to her feet and dusted herself off. “I found a smaller set of tracks that matched neither the beasts nor the adults.” She pointed.

Krieger looked impressed as she glanced over to the small indentations in the earth. Indeed, they appeared to be youngling footprints, and they headed eastward.

“I guess we found which way to go then,” said Krieger. Chaedi nodded.

They marched off, following the tracks as best as they could before they lost them in the woods. Both of them glanced around, trying to get some bearing, when Krieger felt a small tug on her arm.

“Do you hear that?” whispered Chaedi. Krieger perked up her ears, and immediately felt worried. The sounds of nature that had accompanied them to this point had vanished, leaving them in a quiet wood. Her orcish eyes scanned their surroundings, and spotted two hulking forms in the underbrush.

“ _An ambush!”_ shouted Krieger, readying her axe and shield. Chaedi fell into step beside her, dagger draw and swirling energies surrounding her free hand. One form burst from the brush, charging at the elf. It was huge, with thick yellowish skin and a protruding lower jaw set with almost tusk-like teeth. It wore simple hide as armor and wielded a crude, chipped battleaxe in both hands. Drool dripped from his mouth as he charged forth, swinging viciously as Chaedi. She managed to brush the edge of the axe away from her, but was struck by the side of the axe. It was a powerful blow from the creature. She let out a cry of pain.

Krieger felt her inner fury roar, the battlelust bestowed upon her by her heritage bursting forth as she witnessed the attack. She charged forward to meet the creature, her own battleaxe shearing off a portion of the beast’s flesh with her first strike, and her second blow battering against him. She reached for the power within her, seeking to protect the elf, and was relieved when she saw Chaedi’s form limned in an aura of shifting energy. 

Chaedi nodded her thanks, and focused her gaze upon the creature. “A half ogre!” she shouted as the swirling energies in her hand coalesced into a fiery bolt. She launched it at their foe, the bolt smacking against its hide armor, threatening to light it ablaze. Another half ogre jumped from the brush, shouting as he charged at Krieger. “Oi Boss! Over here!” he shouted.

His clumsy blow bounced off of Krieger’s fine mail, but two resounding steps drew the half-orc’s attention. A creature topping ten feet stepped from the trees, a massive if crude greatclub clutched in it’s mighty grasp. It’s yellow skin was bare save for a smattering of hides that lent it meager protection. Each footfall sent a shake in the earth and two beady eyes filled with violent voracity locked upon the elf.

“Elfies good snack!” it shouted, holding it’s greatclub aloft. “Kill orcsies!”

Kriger bared her own fangs at the beast, recognizing the full-blooded ogre for what it was. She knew they were stupid creatures, but one solid blow from it could spell her demise.

The first half ogre struck against Chaedi again, sending a chopping sweep to her midriff, but his axe was repelled by the shimmering barrier that surrounded the elf. Krieger returned the blow twofold, dropping him as her axe blew through his meager defenses and spilled his lifeblood to the soil. She turned and faced her new assailant, her fury spurring her on as she engaged the ogre. She couldn’t safely move past his huge reach, however, and opted to strike the other half ogre, trying to find a tactical position.

Chaedi saw the new beast, and her mismatched eyes glowed with magic as she held her hand to the sky. Rapid chanting filled the night air as radiant energy filled her slender hand, and she launched the bolt at the new beast, limning him with a radiant glow as he was struck. She pulled from her inner magics, and drew forth another radiant bolt, launching it upon the half ogre with another arcane shout.

The half ogre struck against Krieger, landing a solid blow against her side. While that stung, it did not prepare her for the staggering blow as Krieger felt the ogre hit her with an overhand chop. She managed to place her shield in the path, tucking it against her shoulder, but it was akin to stopping a falling tree with a parasol, and she felt her shoulder almost snap from the blow. Breathing heavily, she countered the beast, drawing from within her own magicks to wreathe the creature in flames. It shouted and sputtered, drawing a grim smile from Krieger.

She engaged the ogre, feeling that even though she was injured, her experience in battle would prevail against the clumsy foes. She met the ogre head on, landing two telling blows upon it, bloodying the creature. She drew back, making sure that none could get to her vulnerable back. Her shoulder ached from the ogre’s attack and she felt a flicker of worry that if this fight dragged out, she would lose her advantage. Something soothing coursed through her, however, and she felt a slender hand run against her neck and shoulder, easing her pain. Chaedi drew away afterwards, trying to stay out of harm’s way.

The ogre roared, swiping at the elf, but she leapt from his brutal assault, and his powerful strikes gouged the earth, spraying soil around. The remaining half ogre struck Krieger, but her blood was up, and seeing the ogre so weakened drove her conviction. She jumped up, shouting as she cocked back her axe, and sheared off the ogre’s stinking head. She turned, her frenzy leading her to the half ogre, and slammed him aside his head with her shield, dropping him to the ground as her fury played itself out.

She wrapped the unconscious half ogre in chains, tugging them to make sure that he couldn’t escape. Breathing heavily with her shoulder smarting, Krieger called upon her reserve of energy to mend her wounds, looking to Chaedi as she did. The elf was slightly bruised, but gave her a confident smile as she pulled a set of bandages from her pack.

“Do you need aid?” asked Krieger, holding her hand aloft.

“I will be okay if we can rest but a moment after this,” said Chaedi. 

Krieger nodded, and with a grim face, approached the half ogre. She slapped him awake, and his head darted around as he found against the binds.

He grunted and roared, “Egh, what’s this? Hmm? Hmmph?”

“Stop fighting,” said Krieger in a dangerously calm voice, “Else I will send you to the same fate as your boss.”

The half ogre looked upon the headless corpse, spying the large ogre head lying upon the ground a few feet away. Distress came across his face, but he calmed a bit.

“Who sent you?”

He grunted and growled, baring his teeth at Krieger, but she slapped him and asked him again. 

“Is boss. He sends. We follow.”

“Have you seen a little girl?”

He grunted, “Youngling? No. All taken.”

Her eyes narrowed as she gauged his response. 

“Is true. No youngling. Not girl.”

“Why did you attack the village?”

The half ogre fought once more against his binds, his bruised face flailing about as grunted and growled. Krieger pulled a javelin from her pack and thrust it through his exposed foot, drawing a painful yell from the half ogre.

“ _Why?_ ”

“Humming one sends us! Tells him, told us! All I know!” said the half ogre, his voice filled with pain

“Humming one?”

He seemed hesitant in his response, so Krieger withdrew the javelin and thrust it through his other foot, eliciting a painful yowl from him.

“She’s boss’s boss! Is green and scabbed! Hums, with pointed teeth and claws. Is all is know!” he screamed.

“Where is she?”

“East! East in bog!”

Krieger looked to Chaedi, expecting her to be upset with her. She was surprised to see her eyes filled with disdain and resentment towards the creature.

Krieger turned back to the half ogre, who was breathing harshly and no longer fighting his binds. His watery eyes met Krieger’s and she saw the fear in them.

Krieger knew that he had likely killed before, and felt that he would likely kill again. She knew it was in their nature.

_Just like it’s an orc’s nature to be brutal and savage?_

She paused, holding her spear before the half ogre’s throat. She rose it to his head, and carved a large sigil into his brow. He screamed at her work, but she gave it a small touch and it mended, leaving a grisly scar.

“If you should ever cross my path again, and I learned that it is because of a sacked town, or slain person, I will not hesitate to kill you. My companions will know your mark, and they will know to do the same should they ever come across you,” she said. “Do you understand?”

He nodded eagerly, fighting the tears in his eyes.

Krieger unbound him, “Go. I never want to see you again.”

Hobbling, the half ogre scampered off into the woods.

Kreiger let out a sigh, rising to her feet. When she turned to Chaedi, she sensed judgement in her eyes.

“You think I should have killed him,” she stated. 

“Ogres are beasts and savages, no more deserving that the lowest of low. They kill and plunder, rape and steal,” she spat.

“Some would say orcs are the same way,” shot back Krieger.

“And some are!” replied Chaedi angrily. That staggered Krieger, and she gave a glowering gaze to the elf. In her eyes, she saw a deep anger and fear, and Krieger remembered that Chaedi had seen much in her travels. She knew that the elf spoke not from prejudice, but from experience.

“I am sorry,” said Chaedi, returning to her normal soft-spoken self. Krieger met her gaze and saw that Chaedi, while still frustrated, was impressed. “Let me tend your wounds, and we can continue onwards for the girl.”

Krieger nodded, and they sat for a moment, Chaedi tying Krieger’s shoulder with some bandages from her pack. She hummed lightly as she worked, and her touch sent tingles and chills through the half-orc.

After they had rested, Krieger marched onwards, with Chaedi at her heels. The evening had grown long, with dusk setting in full. The trees of the forest were limned with moonlight. The soft grounds of the forest gave way to swampy boglands, and eventually they came across a roughly hewn hut amidst a field of cattails. Two scarecrows stood in the fields, and the very area was dark.

“This… this is a corrupted place,” whispered Chaedi. “I can feel it.”

Krieger felt a chill run down her spine as she contemplated Chaedi’s observation. Opting to get this done as quickly as possible, she asked for Chaedi to wait on the outskirts of the field as she approached the hut’s door.

It was a ramshackle of a thing, the walls lashed together with bog vines and old rope. The door itself was merely half logs strung together to form a barrier. Krieger knocked on the door, peering around as she kept on her toes.

She heard slow footsteps, and the door was pulled slightly ajar as a comely woman opened it. She had deeply tanned skin, with curious brown eyes that peeked out from her beneath her long black hair streaked with grey.

“Rare is it for me to get travelers. Can I help you?” her voice was reedy, as if she rarely used it.

“Uh, hello ma’am. I was traveling through the area, looking for a young girl, and I came upon your home. I was just wondering if you had seen or heard anything recently.”

“Not many come this way, I’m afraid. Fewer still that come to disturb my peace,” said the woman. “I have not seen nor heard anything for a while.”

Krieger felt uneasy at her response. She saw the corner of the woman’s mouth and eye twitch, and heard the slight tremor in her voice that told her of the lie. Krieger did not press however, opting for a different tactic.

“I see. Well, I have been traveling for a while. Do you perhaps have some water I can drink? I’ll be on my way afterwards.”

The woman retreated back inside her home, and Krieger heard some clattering. She returned to the door and held a ruddy wooden cup for the half orc. She took it and peered inside, smelling nothing foul in the liquid. Not trusting the woman, she pretended to drink, trickling the liquid down the side of her face as she tilted the cup.

“Ah, that was refreshing. Thank you,” said Krieger as she returned the cup. 

“Be on your way now,” said the woman, shutting the door.

Krieger felt stumped and walked back to Chaedi, who was rubbing her arms against the chill.

“I think we should search around a bit. That woman was lying to me.”

Chaedi nodded, and together they stealthily checked the bogland around the hut, taking care not to make too much noise. After a while, they found nothing, save a set of small footprints that went around the house and back.

Krieger drew up before one of the scarecrows, unsure of what to do. She slapped it with her axe in frustration, and turned to Chaedi, who was standing beside her. She froze as she heard wicked laughter from behind her, and then something cut into her mail, digging into the flesh of her wounded shoulder.

Alarm coursed through her as she turned around and watched the scarecrow break free from its post. Two red gleams of light hovered in its eye sockets and its once simple face had warped into a cruel visage. It lashed out against her, and the sound of cracking and thrashing from behind them told her that the other one had animated as well.

Krieger drew her axe, and chopped mightily, but almost stumbled as she felt the edge of her weapon seemingly repelled by the straw. Her confusion mounted, but the shouts of Chaedi being injured sharpened her focus as she remembered these foul creatures.

“We need fire!” shouted Krieger, squaring up as the scarecrow that stood before her lashed against her shield. She chopped back, but this time channeled her inner strength, amassing it as a shifting glow of dark and light energies. Her axe was shrouded in the energy and as she landed the blow, it unleashed with a resounding crack. She knew that scarecrow could do little to repel the powerful strike.

Chaedi conjured a bolt of flame and threw it at the other scarecrow, and so sure was her strike it was almost immediately engulfed in flames. With malice in his snarling visage, the two scarecrows surrounded the hated fire bearer, and managed to land two savage claw swipes into her. Krieger, spurred on by the sight of Chaedi’s blood spilling forth, cleaved the two constructs down, her fangs bared once more as the fury of her heritage spilled forth. As the scarecrows tumbled down to the ground, the door to the hut burst forth, with a mind-bending shriek rending the night.

“ _What have you done?!”_ she screamed, her wail coursing through the night air. “ _Why couldn’t you leave me alone?!”_

Krieger turned to answer and froze in horror as she watched bones snap and crack. Her skin changed to mottled green, with several open sores and scabs upon her skin. Her black hair became stringy and thin, while her teeth elongated to sharp points. Her nails extended outwards into deadly looking claws.

“What’s happenin’?” said a small voice from beside the hut. A young girl, dressed in a brown dress and carrying wood, cane from the side of the hut. She dropped the wood when she saw Krieger and Chaedi.

“They wish to stop me from helping you! From giving you what your heart so desires! Help me, so that we can bring back your mother!” shouted the creature. The girl looked between the creature and the pair, and with shaky hands, she grabbed a spear that rested against the hut. Her face set itself in a mixture of grim determination and mania.

Krieger recognized the girl, and shouted out to her, “Kiki! Your father sent us!”

“They lie! He is dead! Betrayed your mother!” shouted the creature. She pounced upon Krieger, her long deadly claws being driven away by Krieger’s expert shield work. Chaedi looked torn, but started chanting and gestured towards the creature. She writhed, but Krieger noticed no change, barring the fact that the creature had recognized arcane Chaedi’s gestures for what they were.

A small scream erupted from beside them as Chaedi cried out in pain as a spear tip pierced her side. She spun and saw the young girl withdrawing from her attack, her shaking arms positioning to strike again. The distraction proved dangerous for Chaedi though, as the creature’s claws ripped through her magic and cut into her midriff and side.

Blood poured from Chaedi’s mouth, and when she met Krieger’s gaze, the half-orc could see the apology in her eyes. Spitting out blood, Chaedi let out another arcane chant, and Krieger felt lighter on her feet, with her battleaxe light as a feather. Chaedi continued to chant as she dodged the young girl’s attack, and Krieger let out a howl of battle, giving herself to the battlelust of her people as she unleashed a barrage of blows against the creature. She hit more than she missed, and watched with satisfaction as ichorous fluid spilled forth from the creature’s many wounds. She howled, but turned and struck Chaedi, who moments before only managed to barely get a restorative spell of upon herself. Haggard, Chaedi attempted to channel her energy into a swirling bolt of fire, but her arcane chants were interrupted as a spear pierced through her chest. Blood gurgled in her throat, and she slumped to the ground, her eyes losing their telltale sparkle as she fell.

The lightness left Krieger as she saw Chaedi’s crumpled form upon the ground. Anger swirled with desperation, mixing into a cacophony of righteous vengeance as Krieger channeled that shifting energy once more into her battleaxe. Her muscles swelled with might as she brought the axe down upon the creature, her shout rising as she felt cartilage and bone shatter beneath her fury. 

The creature sputtered and sensed its danger. “Stop! STOP! Else she dies!” she said as she roughly grabbed Chaedi’s hair, her claws cutting lines in the elf’s scalp. She held her claws against the elf’s pale neck, her teeth bared at the half orc.

Krieger’s rage faltered in the face of that threat. Seeing Chaedi hang there lifeless, with little beads of blood erupting from the small line that was already drawn sent Krieger into a panic that wracked her soul. “Stop! Stop. I yield. Don’t take her, take me instead.”

The creature grinned evilly, “She’s important to you then… You leave, else she dies.”

Krieger felt her will, the one steeled by countless battles, fail her in that moment. Her thoughts went back to Chaedi’s promise that they would both return. She could not bear to leave Chaedi behind, and inside her swirled turmoil and regret. She was at a loss.

“Yes… Yes! I have the power! Leave, and do not return. Mayhaps I send her to you, in pieces!”

Her taunt was interrupted as she howled, her eyes bulging as a spear tip erupted through her chest. She spun, dropping Chaedi to the floor. Krieger rushed to her as the creature shrunk down to the ground.

Kiara stared at the creature, her eyes wide with horror, tears streaming down her face. She threw herself back against the hut wall as the creature crawled towards her, its ichorous blood spewing from her mouth as she crawled.

There was a sickening crack as Krieger plunged her axe into the creature’s back, once, twice, and then a third time. The creature stopped moving and Krieger stared down at it, hatred etched in her face. However, it let out a rasping gasp as it’s bones cracked and it shifted, its skin turning tan once more and her hair regained its luster. Her nails and teeth shrunk to normal.

“ _Ma!!!!!_ ” screamed Kiara, rushing over to the fallen woman. She shook her, trying to wake her, but her brown eyes stared lifelessly at her daughter.

“You killed her! You KILLED HER” shouted Kiara, thumping her small fists against Krieger. Krieger was taken aback, and Kiara crawled to her feet, looking around for the spear. 

“Shhh my child,” said Chaedi, running her hand against the girl. She slumped to the floor into a deep slumber. Krieger looked to Chaedi, who was covered in blood, grime, and dirt. Several holes were ripped into her garb. She had a pitying look upon her face, and when they met each other’s eyes, Krieger was startled. The twinkle that normally sat in her violet eye was mirrored in her magenta one. Chaedi’s gaze went skyward, landing upon the moon. Krieger traced her gaze and saw that it was moving past its waning gibbous phase, but when she looked back to Chaedi, she was crouched down and tending to her wounds.

“Let me help you,” said Krieger, laying her hands upon Chaedi. She reached for her latent power, willing it into the moon elf. She saw some of her wounds knit together, and relief washed through the elf’s face.

“Thank you,” said Chaedi gratefully. She unstoppered a small bottle and drank deeply. Several of her other wounds closed after a moment, and she no longer looked pained.

Krieger went to the slumbering girl, and bound her hands and feet with a hempen rope. She gave one look to the woman that lay dead upon the floor, unsure of what to do. She crossed into the small hut, recoiling when she smelled the stench.

In a corner were the remains of several creatures, their white bones stark against the dark earth. Several crude cooking implements rested upon a simple log table, and a spit with a cauldron rested, it’s contents bubbling over the smoldering fire. Krieger walked over to a small table beside a straw bed, and saw a belt and small beaded bracelet resting on it. The belt looked more pristine than anything else in the hut, and the bracelet looked grimy. Krieger wiped away the grime to see wooden beads with letters burned into them:

Kiki.

Her heart felt heavy at that, and she gathered the belt and bracelet into her pack. She returned outside, and saw Chaedi carrying the girl, but the elf looked as though she would topple from light breeze.

“Come, I’ll carry the child.”

“Are you sure?” asked Chaedi.

Krieger nodded, hoisting the lass over her shoulder. They looked over the bogland one final time, before making their trek back to Waterdeep.

The trek back brought them before the city gates late in the night. They were stopped by the guards, who held them at spear point.

“State your business.”

“We are returning from finding a man’s daughter. A logger.”

“Rosaf? You found his little girl?”

They both nodded, with Krieger shrugging the shoulder that carried the lass.

The guards signaled to open the gate, which creaked open after a time. Krieger nodded to the guards and continued on her way. 

She looked to Chaedi, noting that the elf was incredibly quiet on their way back to the city. She no longer bounced with each step, instead having adopted a more meticulous gait. She did not hum or otherwise act her whimsical self, and occasionally her gaze trickled onto the sky above.

Krieger didn’t know what to make of this solemn side of Chaedi, but opted to finish their job before commenting on it. They returned to The Silken Slyph, where they saw Rosaf sitting amongst several tankards, his shoulders bowed as he slumped in his chair. Upon hearing the door shut, he turned animatedly towards them, and his face almost broke when he saw Krieger.

“Is that… is she…?”

Krieger set her down, undoing her binds. “She is alive. My companion put her in an enchanted sleep so that we could bring her to you.” Krieger looked to Chaedi, who gave a small chant. Kiara’s eyes fluttered open and she glanced around groggily, her eyes watering when she saw her father.

“Pa…. PA!”

“Kiki!” he shouted. They wrapped each other in a tight embrace, shaking with sobs. Several onlookers came over and gave their condolences while some gave appreciative pats to Krieger. 

“There’s more,” said Chaedi, drawing Rosaf and Kiara from their embrace.

Krieger hesitated. “Your wife was… she was still alive.”

Rosaf looked immensely confused, “Alive? But she went missin’ years ago.”

“She was in the bog where we found Kiki. She…” Krieger froze, looking to the small girl.

“We were unable to save her,” said Chaedi curtly. Kiara looked between the two of them, and she began sobbing once more.

“We found these,” said Krieger, holding out the belt and the bracelet.

“That bracelet… Kiki and her ma made those when she was a lass,” said Rosaf, grabbing the bracelet with trembling hands. He pointed to Kiara’s wrist, and they saw a bracelet with wooden beads on it, with two of them burned with the letters M and A.

“I’ve never seen the belt before, but it looks wealthier than anythin’ I could give yeh. Please, keep it,” said Rosaf as he gave the bracelet to his daughter and stroked her hair. “Thank yeh, for bringin’ me my daughter.”

Krieger nodded, and gave Chaedi a pointed glance and then looked to the door.

“Can you walk with me a moment? I need to talk to you about something.”

Chaedi raised an eyebrow at Krieger, and looked to the stairwell that led to their room.

“Please, it’ll only be a moment.”

Chaedi nodded. She followed Krieger outside, leaving the Rosaf and Kiara to their reunion.

They walked along the avenues, eventually reaching the statue of the Sahuagin Humbled. Krieger felt uneasiness, guilt, and trepidation bubbling in her chest. Chaedi hadn’t said a single word to her as they walked.

“Chaedi… I— I don’t know how to put this. There are so many things I think of, and when I’m around you I feel something, something strong for you. But I have all these other things swimming through my mind, and I don’t know how to sort them. It’s— it’s overwhelming.”

She felt arms wrap around her midriff. Krieger looked to the elf, drawing away from her embrace, and saw that she held a small smile. Her eyes glistened in the moonlight and even in her ruined clothes, Krieger felt she had never seen someone so beautiful. Her skin glowed with the moonlight, and there was a sparkle in ther magenta eye.

“All I know is that you’re important to me. When we met, I had this feeling that you were going to become someone special to me. I want you near me. I know you travel but could you… could you give me time to sort this all out?”

Chaedi’s face was a mask to Krieger now, but her magenta eye seemed to glow. She stepped forward to Krieger, her slender hands reaching up to her face.

She noted the scars were gone.

Soft lips brushed against her lips, and Krieger felt her heart hammering in her chest as the elf drew away. Few things in life had made her heart beat so, but she felt tinged with guilt. She reached up for Chaedi’s hands, lowering them before her.

“Do you want me, Elizaveta?”

“I— I need time. Please… Will you stay in Waterdeep?”

Chaedi’s face was still a mask, but her smile was one of understanding. She did not answer, however.

Krieger felt panic course through her, and she placed her hands on the elf’s shoulders. 

“Please Chaedi. Please. Give me a chance to sort this out.”

Chaedi gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek, whispering in her ear, “Don’t make us wait too long.”

She left, walking back towards the tavern.

Krieger balled her hands in her hair, her thoughts spiralling back. Only one person she had met before had set her blood to boil like the elf had in the past few days, and as she watched Chaedi’s swaying steps as she returned to the tavern, her mind flashed to the other person:

Michael.

He had taught her that pure fury was not the way to get others to see past her heritage. He had taught her that the path of the righteous was the way to show the world that she deserved more than the prejudices of her skin. He was the first to give her the chance to show that she was not some savage, but a skilled warrior that could be relied upon in the heat of battle.

They had shared a moment together, many, many months ago, after a long battle. That night, she had felt closer to him than anyone in her life, including her own family. She had awoken in that cave a new woman, her heart thrumming with hope for a bright future.

Could she throw that all away?

Her memories clawed their way back to the forefront of her mind, tearing through the fog that clouded her thoughts. She remembered the day she was dismissed from her company. Not one of her companions had thought to intervene on her behalf, to fight for her position within the company. She faced the shame of dismissal, and not even Michael had stood before her to champion her cause. He turned away just as the others had, abandoning her. Leaving her behind.

She remembered the sting every day. It drove her. Her desire had been to find the reason why she was so unceremoniously dismissed, why none of her companions she had fought beside had even thought to defend her. She yearned to learn why Michael hadn’t even bothered to look back. She had thought it was because of his duty as a soldier, but the man had constantly reminded her that what was right often overrode duty. Krieger had constantly fought to prove to everyone around her that she was more than what people said. In the end, though, it hadn’t been enough. Even for Michael.

Chaedi had seen past all of that. That night when she sat beside Krieger on the docks, she had done so willingly, even hopefully. Their encounter with the ogres revealed much to Krieger about the elf. She had experienced cruelty, perhaps even fought against death’s door, at the hands of orcish and ogrelike creatures. The elf was wizened, and yet even with her experiences, she still felt optimistic enough to meet new people. She was able to frolic even with those of races considered uncouth and savage. Chaedi had dove into the bay to retrieve the shield that Krieger felt had tarnished her soul, not because she had been asked, but because she felt that one’s past was to be accepted. She had wholly accepted Krieger, had risked her own life because she believed in her.

Krieger felt electricity course through her, from the tips of her fingers to the tips of her toes.

_What am I doing?!_

She sprinted off after the elf, taking huge gulps of air as she ran through the avenues. Everything became clear to the half orc. She hoped she would not be too late.

She burst through the door, looking around the common area. Chaedi was not there, and she sprinted to the staircase, climbing them two at a time until she reached the landing. Krieger ran to their door, and burst through, her chest heaving for air.

Chaedi was in a state of mid-undress, her pale skin shining in the moonlight that came in through the window. A thin shift covered her chest and she wore simple breeches, but was otherwise bare. Kreiger could see all the slivers of scars etched in her pale skin, the lifetime of her travels recorded forever in her skin.

Krieger knew that she wanted to be there for the rest of her travels.

“Chaedi,” she said softly.

The elf met her gaze and walked up to her. Softly, her voice broke the night air, barely a whisper, “Did you decide? Do you want me?’

“Yes.”

Chaedi pulled her into a deep kiss, and Krieger ran her hands to her back, pulling her in as their lips locked. Her heart hammered, and she felt sweat bead on her brow as heat flushed through her face. Her stomach fluttered and nothing else in the world had felt so right than this moment. Just her and Chaedi. The thought sent lightning through her.

She pulled away from Chaedi and saw that the elf’s mismatched eyes were hooded, the sparkle evident in her magenta orb in the low light.

“Then I am yours,” whispered Chaedi.

She kissed Krieger again, this one filled with wanting and desire. Krieger felt herself freeze as she felt Chaedi’s tongue tentatively dart into her mouth, as if testing her limits. Her mind grew hazy as Chaedi deepened the kiss, and was soon returning the favor in full, her own tongue plundering the elf’s mouth eagerly. Chaedi let out a soft, appreciative moan, and Krieger felt the straps of her pack slide from her shoulders. Her backpack slammed against the ground as it slipped free, drawing Krieger away for a brief moment before eager hands grasped her face again and pulled her into another kiss.

Her head swam as her heart thundered in her chest. Never before had Krieger felt such passion within her, and never before with another woman. She felt lust, tinged slightly with guilt, and hesitantly pulled away from Chaedi, her breathing shallow and clipped.

The elf’s mismatched eyes were filled with yearning and lust, but beneath that Krieger noted concern.

“Is something amiss?”

“I’m… I don’t…”

Chaedi reached up to Krieger’s face, cradling her hand against her cheek as her eyes burned into her, “It’s okay to be unsure.”

Krieger shifted, her face flaming as she whispered, “It’s just.. I’ve never been with a woman before.”

Chaedi’s face spread into a coy smile, “Then let me teach you.”

Krieger gulped, her anticipation mounting. Chaedi placed another soft kiss on her lips, biting lightly as she drew away. Krieger felt herself chase after her, pausing as she felt the elf kiss her neck lightly. Chills shot down her spine, and Krieger felt herself tremble.

“Help me remove your armor,” said Chaedi, drawing back from the half-orc. Krieger felt herself nod, and started trying to lift the chain shirt from her form, only to grow frustrated when she felt it tug on her belt. She unlatched it and threw it to the ground, then hastily removed the mail from her. Her nervousness returned as she felt the cool night air through her light brown shirt.

Slender hands ran up and down her sides, and Chaedie went back to kissing her neck, drawing a quiet moan from Krieger. She felt her hands roam over her, and could feel as they traced over her abdomen and chest. Chaedi began to suckle on Krieger’s neck, lightly biting her. Krieger was panting at this point, and every one of Chaedi’s gentle touches sent a shiver through her body. She felt her blood burning with fury, but one filled with lust instead of her usual emotions.

Chaedi eventually kissed alongside Krieger’s jaw, making her way back up to her lips. She wrapped her hands around Krieger’s head, grabbing two fistfuls of her long brown hair as they kissed. Krieger ran her hands along the elf’s sides, marveling in the softness of her skin underneath her calloused fingertips. Whenever she found a scar, she would trace it with her finger, aimlessly running them over her stomach until she brushed against Chaedi’s breast.

Krieger froze, drawing her hands, back and breaking the kiss. Chaedi looked mildly frustrated, her long black hair tousled.

“Sorry, I didn—” started Krieger, but Chaedi grabbed her hand and rested it onto her breast. Krieger felt her face flame, and just let it rest there. She couldn’t help but appreciate just how soft it was though.

Krieger felt Chaedi’s hands run down her side again, and looked down to see them resting on the hem of her shirt. Chaedi’s bright eyes looked up into Krieger’s face, gauging her. With another gulp, Krieger nodded. 

Chaedi lifted her shirt as Krieger lifted her arms. She trapped the collar on Krieger’s nose, drawing protest from Krieger until she felt Chaedi’s lips against hers again. Light, but enticing. She pulled it from her, and watched as Chaedi unwrapped the bindings around her breasts.

“Oh my...” said Chaedi, her eyes widening as they bounced free. They were much larger than the elf’s, and she ran the palm of her hand over her nipple. Krieger felt another chill run through her body, and closed her eyes, reveling in the feeling. She felt lips against her jaw once more as light kisses were trailed down her jaw, then neck and then along her collarbone. She felt a light kiss against one of her breasts, and then sucked in a breath when she felt Chaedi’s warm lips capture her nipple. A tongue ran across it and Krieger lurched, feeling an aching from within her.

Chaedi looked back into Krieger’s face, then gave a sultry look to the half-orc’s hand. She was grasping the elf’s breast tightly.

“Is this… okay?” asked Krieger in a breathy voice, relenting her grip lightly.

Chaedi nodded at her, her magenta eye appearing to glow in the darkness. She ushered Krieger to the bed, pushing her down against it. Chaedi straddled Krieger’s slender waist, her hands tracing over the scars that Krieger had earned from her battles.

“I love them,” said Chaedi, her gaze fixed as she ran her hands up and down Krieger’s toned stomach. She cupped both of her breasts in her hands, laying down and once again sucking on a nipple. Krieger felt a light bite, and that sent a shock through her, amplifying her aching. Chaedi leaned back up, removed the shift that covered her, and Krieger’s gaze fixed upon her breasts, her pale skinned capped with light grey nipples.

Chaedi grabbed Kriger’s hands, and ran them up her stomach to her breasts. Krieger played with them, loving how soft they felt in her hands. As she did she hear Chaedi’s breathing hitch, and felt the elf grind against her. The elf hitched and with a shake of her head, crawled down Krieger’s legs. She felt her hands pull at the waist of her breeches, and panic coursed through her.

“Chaedi!”

“Just relax,” said Chaedi, sending her a smouldering gaze. Krieger felt her face flame, but noticed that the elf seemed to be waiting. She felt herself nod, and Chaedi pulled the waist of her breeches down.

“Mmmm…” hummed the elf. Krieger felt light kisses down her thigh, towards her barely concealed sex. Krieger looked down as Chaedi continued lavishing kisses on her thighs and on the bottom of her abdomen, each one driving her aching to a new height. She felt the cloth of her undergarment running down her legs as Chaedi slid it off, and felt her face flame as she felt how wet it was and how wet she was.

“Mmmm…” hummed Chaedi again, her longing apparent. She climbed back up Krieger once more, pressing their breasts together as she kissed the half-orc once more.

Krieger got lost for a moment, until she felt a slender fingertip against her. It caressed the lips of her sex, swirling around her most sensitive spot.

“Oh fuck….” she let out plantitively.

She could hear Chaedi’s smile, and suddenly, she felt a finger slid within her, caressing and teasing. Krieger felt heat run up through her sex into her stomach as Chaedi continued her ministrations. Her blood was high, and she could feel her frenzy mounted as another finger joined the elf’s first one.

Krieger’s eyes snapped open, and she roughly grabbed a fistful of Chaedi’s hair. She pulled her head up and gave her a heated kiss, her tongue battling the elf’s. She felt Chaedi melt in her arms, her ministrations long forgotten by this unbridled desire. Krieger released her grip on Chaedi’s hair, lifted the elf by her waist and tossed her onto the bed. Chaedi looked to her, her breathing harsh, with each breath causing her breasts to slightly bounce.

Krieger’s hands went to the waist of Chaedi’s pants, and she ripped them from her form. She saw the small tuft of hair that was nestled in the cradle of the elf’s hips, thick and black, and she spread Chaedi’s legs apart as she lay between them. She kissed the elf, and felt her slender hands running along her back, her nails leaving stinging lines in their wake.

Krieger ran her right hand down the elf’s stomach, marveling in the heat and dampness she felt as she reached her center.

“Eliza… please…” begged Chaedi. Krieger set her gaze upon the elf’s face, her eyes glistening in the moonlight. Her blood still raced but Chaedi’s begging had drawn her back to her senses for a moment.

“What do I do?”

“Whatever you want! Please!!” 

Krieger ran a finger along her slit, eliciting a long moan from Chaedi. She played with her wet lips until she found the spot she was looking for. Chaedi’s back rose off of the bed as she let out a cry of pleasure. Krieger continued to rub against her with her thumb, and slid one of her fingers into Chaedi warm center. She felt the elf clamp down on her, and was astounded by how warm, soft, and most noticeably, wet she was.

“Is it good?” asked Krieger, nervousness creeping around her lust.

“Yes… oh by the gods _yes…”_ hissed Chaedi as she ground against Krieger’s fingers. Her skin was coated in a sheen of sweat as she panted. Krieger plunged her fingers into the elf steadily, eliciting more and more moans and cries from the elf. She felt Chaedi tense up as her back arched, taut as a bow string, and she screamed.

“ _OH FUCK!_ ” her scream trailed off into a large stream of unintelligible words as she rode Krieger’s fingers. She trembled violently.

Chaedi came down after a minute so or, but still trembled. Krieger slowly removed her fingers as she slid beside the elf, loving how disheveled she looked.

Once Krieger was laying down, however, Chaedi clambered onto her with a mischievous grin, making straight for Krieger’s sex.

Surprise went through Krieger as she felt her legs spread open, and she leaned forward until a shock through her sent her own back arching and caused her mind to go blank. She felt Chaedi’s lips and tongue dancing around her center, evoking moans and groans from Krieger as she worked. The tingling that had been building all night was reaching a new crescendo, and Krieger grasped onto Chaedi’s ass, gripping tightly as the elf continued her play.

“W-wha, Chaedi… oh fuck… wha..?” she said through a confused haze of pleasure.

Chaedi paused for only a moment, her sultry voice calling out, “I want to leave you a screaming mess.”

She dove back into it, her enthusiasm mounting. Krieger could see Chaedi’s wetness running down her thighs, and the sight with the sensations sent her to a new high. Her mind blanked when she felt Chaedi’s tongue rolling over her most sensitive place and when the elf’s finger plunged inside of her and stroked against her, she hitched.

And screamed.

Waves of pleasure rolled her through as she shouted, her hands balling up the sheet on the bed. Chaedi didn’t let her come down, though, pushing and pushing Krieger’s high until it crashed through her like a wave. Her vision unclouded as she felt Chaedi slowly lean back, the long lengths of her black hair stark against her pale skin.

Chaedi turned around, and Krieger saw she was wiping her wetness from her face with a very satisfied smile.

“That was.. Chaedi…”

Her only answer was a cheshire grin, her eyes glittering with delight. Even in the dark, Krieger could make out the sparkle in her magenta orb. She placed a light kiss on the tip of Krieger’s nose.

Chaedi rose from the bed, and Krieger, still lying in the blissful cloud that Chaedi had left her in, felt vulnerable. She rose, but felt herself smile when Chaedi simply sat behind her and laid Krieger down upon her. 

“Rest tonight, Elizaveta. I will be here in the morning.”

Cradled in the embrace of the elf, Krieger felt soft hands caress her face and hair, and the half orc was lulled to sleep in the arms of her new lover.


	2. The Frozen Moon Fractured

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Krieger learns that Chaedi is cursed to forever share the same body with her sister Moonshae. The half-orc is determined to lend aid, but when the elf tells her of an obscure legend that could break the curse, Krieger finds that she is not prepared to confront the dangers within as well as the yearnings in her heart.

Elizaveta Krieger awoke as the sun’s rays poked through the curtains and rested on her face. She let out a large yawn and rubbed the sand from her eyes as she rose. She paused though, noticing that her new companion was not beside her or even in the room. Wondering where the elf had gotten off too, she recalled the conversation they had several nights ago in front of the Sahuagin Humbled:

_“We are two, but cursed into one. Chaedi walked with you that evening against the hag, but as the moon phases change, so too do we. I am Moonshae now, and shall be until the moon turns bright once more.”_

Krieger hadn’t really understood what she had meant before. The sudden shift in Chaedi’s demeanor had offblanaced the half-orc, her soldier’s instincts trying to warn her of some unknown threat, something laying unseen.

Moonshae had been that threat. Moonshae was reticent where Chaedi was cheerful, conniving where sincere, and meticulous where impulsive. Chaedie embraced love and affection as an old friend while Moonshae kept it at arm’s length. Even the way she looked at Krieger was unnerving, as though her magenta eye could see her every thought and intention.

Except where she couldn’t. Moonshae couldn’t comprehend the earnesty of Krieger’s offer, the charity of the half-orc. She didn’t understand why Krieger was so intent upon helping them with their burden.

Krieger had explained it to her, but even she didn’t fully understand. The twins were locked together in a terrible curse, forever shifting whilst bound to a singular body. There was little the half-orc could do for her moon elf companion, but something had stirred within her that night. Watching Chaedi in the hag’s grasp had unearth a need inside of Krieger that had remained hidden for so long. As she laid in Chaedi’s arms that evening, all she knew was that she had found a place she belonged.

Krieger dressed, dropping her mail over her shoulders and belting it at her waist. She pulled her pack upon her back and, after locking their room, steadily made her way down the stairs.

The common room was empty this morning, save a few patrons eating hearty breakfasts at the bar itself. She caught the eye of the innkeeper and gave him a curt nod, only to be surprised when he left his post to approach her.

“The pale one left this for you,” he said, offering a folded note.

Krieger felt herself smile, but wondered why she hadn’t simply left it in the room before.

_Moonshae._

She thanked the innkeeper and stepped from the tavern, shielding her eyes from the morning sun as she glanced down at the missive:

_K,_

_I plan to do some research at the Font of Knowledge. Don’t wait up._

_M._

Krieger felt a trickle of disappointment in the straightforward and brief note, but knew that it was far more than expected from Moonshae. She tucked away the note into a pouch, and flagged down a guard.

“Pardon!” she called, drawing the guard’s attention.

“Yes, citizen. How can I help you?”

“Do you know where the…” she thought back to the note, cleared her throat, and continued, “the Font of Knowledge is?”

“Aye, I do. Head down the Street of the Singing Dolphin until you reach Darselune Street. Continue southwest until you see the Sahuagin Humbled, the large statue overlooking the coast. Follow along southeast and you’ll see it to the east, off of Sword Street.”

Krieger nodded, familiar with the names. Her time spent in Waterdeep had been very active and as such she had grown familiar with the area by the Spires of the Morning. While she was still unwelcome there, her other companions who had taken to respite in the city stayed there under the watchful eye of Prior Athosar.

She thanked the guard and meandered off, taking a steady pace as she watched the citizens of Waterdeep go about their day. It felt odd to her as she watched these people without a care. She found herself constantly on the trail to the next adventure, but idly thought of a quiet life, a particular moon elf providing her comfort in their home.

Her face flamed, but she loved the warmth that she felt surge through her at the thought.

Krieger continued onwards, heading south until she saw the sweeping facade of the temple. She stood in awe, crossing into the grounds as she realized that it was one part temple and another part library. With her destination in sight, she stepped into the building, the smell of thousands of musty books filling her nostrils, which threatened to make her sneeze.

“Hello and welcome,” called an acolyte, their tan-grey tunic signaling them as follower of Deneir. “Is there anything I can help you with this fine day?”

“Yes, er— has a moon elf been here?” she asked, uncertain as she looked around the stacks.

“I believe so, yes. I think they’re in the back, alongside the more fanciful tales that we have,” said the acolyte. He led her through the winding shelves until they reached a small alcove with a square table. Moonshae was hunched over a book, her nose mere inches away from the ink as her finger traced the words.

“Will that be all?” asked the acolyte.

“Yes, thank you, sir,” said Krieger distractedly. He bowed to her and walked off, leaving Krieger to watch.

She couldn’t help but admire how beautiful Moonshae was. Even though she knew that there was little warmth in her heart, her graceful actions and pale skin was alluring to the half-orc, and her slender form that Krieger was intimately privy to set a fire inside of Krieger’s blood. She watched as the elf leafed through several different tomes, and for the first time saw something break through the still mask that Moonshae wore. She was filled with nervous energy, and she leafed through different books all while writing upon a large sheet of parchment.

She knocked several books to the ground, and turned to pick them up only to be face to face with Krieger, who had already started gathering the falls books.

“Oh,” said Moonshae, drawing back slightly as Krieger stacked the books back upon the table. Krieger felt a tiny bit of disappointment; while Chaedi was prone to adorable jumps whenever she was surprised, Moonshae’s nerves were steeled and rarely gave in to the surprise.

“You left early,” said Krieger.

“I didn’t wish to stir you from your sleep. You looked peaceful.”

“I wouldn’t have minded. I… I enjoy spending time with you.”

She saw a tinge of color in Moonshae’s face, and repressed the smile that wanted to creep through her face in satisfaction.

“I… appreciate that,” said Moonshae. Krieger pulled a chair beside her, peering over the books that lay spread open before them. They were covered in strange glyphs and runes, and Krieger felt pressure building in her head as she looked over them. She saw Moonshae’s sketch covered in rough mountains and trees, a small ‘x’ denoting Waterdeep.

“What are you looking for?”

“Anything that can lead me to breaking the curse upon us,” replied Moonshae, flipping through another page.

Krieger picked up a book, the runes on the front a jumble.

“What have you found?”

Moonshae leaned back, “Nothing. Just legends.” 

Krieger wrinkled her brow, puzzled. “Legends? Like tales?”

She could feel Moonshae’s condescending gaze upon her, “Yes, like tales.”

“I don’t understand. Shouldn’t you be looking for other things? More tangible things?”

“We are a legend, Krieger,” she said softly, a tremor in her voice revealing her anger and frustration. She felt Moonshae’s cold gaze upon her.

“I didn’t mean to say—” Krieger’s apology fell short in her throat.

“I can do this without you, if you find it unappealing.”

Krieger rested her hands on Moonshae’s hands, causing the elf to jump. She locked eyes with her, a warm tingling within her as she regarded her mismatched eyes.

“I just didn’t understand. I told you before. I want to help.”

Moonshae gave a small nod before sliding another stack of books to her.

The hour grew late, Krieger’s mind filled with what seemed to be hundreds of different tales. An acolyte knocked softly against one of the shelves, stirring them from their work.

“We will need you to leave soon, so that we may tidy and maintain the library for tomorrow,” he said kindly, his lantern flickering in his grasp.

Krieger stretched, her back clicking as she felt the tension release from her shoulders. She felt she should have left her armor at the inn. The sentiment almost made her laugh.

Moonshae rose from her seat, rolling up the large parchment and tucking it away. She closed the small journal she had been taking notes in, and placed it within her pocket.

“Ready to leave?” asked Krieger.

“I am. I think we have what we need. Tomorrow, I’m going to talk with a few contacts of mine to see what I can decipher.”

“Don’t forget these,” said Krieger, giving her the translations of Draconic she had managed. “Hopefully you find something.”

Moonshae took them, but Krieger caught her hands, holding them before she drew away.

They left together, returning to the Silken Slyph where they ate dinner together before turning in for the evening. Krieger laid upon her bed, Moonshae resting in the other bed this evening. She watched her for a moment before sleep claimed her.

The next morning came quickly, and Krieger spent the day trying to find Moonshae. She wandered around, but try as she might, she couldn’t find the elf. She eventually settled on gathering provisions for the expected trek, as Moonshae had told her the night before that once she found the location, she would head out without a second thought.

Krieger stocked several things she felt they would need if Moonshae’s hypothesis was correct: The elf believed their goal lay nestled in the Sword Mountains to the north, and with autumn quickly falling to winter, she knew that their path was going to be treacherous.

As the half-orc walked, her pack filled with new equipment, she spied Moonshae walking down the High Road, a pristine cloak in her arms.

“Moonshae!” cried out Krieger, turning the elf towards her. She briskly walked up to Krieger, her eyes narrowing at the new supplies.

“You were serious about coming, then,” said Moonshae.

Krieger had to resist rolling her eyes, knowing that Moonshae rarely took anyone at their word. “What’s that you got there?”

“Oh. Blue gave me some pearls to exchange for stuff. That’s how I got you your horse,” said Moonshae. “I could finally pick this up, but I remembered that she was in the mountains.”

“What is it?”

“It bolsters a person's resolve and defense. It’s enchanted to make them more resilient,” said Moonshae, stretching it out for Krieger to see. It was a pale blue, trimmed with bronze and had a chain muffler about the shoulders. A small clasp in the shape of a shield held it closed.

“You wanted to give that to Celume?”

Moonshae nodded, “I overheard that she was having trouble amidst the flow of combat. I thought this would help her.”

Krieger found a new appreciation for Moonshae. She remembered how much Celume had raged when she found out that Moonshae spent her pearl money on her horse. She figured this to be a cloak of wondrous pricing, and yet Moonshae had gotten it without a problem.

“If you are certain you wish to travel with me, then I want you to wear it, for now,” said Moonshae, her voice soft.

Krieger pulled it from her grasp, grateful as she regarded the elf, “Did you find what you needed to learn.”

“I did. I think I have enough information to go investigate,” said Moonshae, falling in step beside Krieger.

“Where is it?”

“There’s a bog within a forest nestled in the base of the Sword Mountains. By my estimation, it is a two day march out.”

“One day on Midnight,” said Krieger eagerly. “We leave on the morrow?”

Moonshae watched her, still puzzled at the orc but nodded.

“Shall we rest early then? I could use a nice warm meal.”

Moonshae paused, drawing Krieger to a stop. She rose on her tiptoes and whispered in her ear, a tremor in her voice, “Would you… like to join me in a bath afterwards?”

Krieger felt astonished. Moonshae was not prone to physical affection, and even now she could make out the nervous gleam in her eyes as she thought about her offer.

“I’d love to,” whispered back Krieger, kissing Moonshae.

They ate a hearty meal of duck and roasted potatoes and headed to the bath house located in the basement of the inn. Moonshae walked with jitters, and Krieger herself felt anxious at the possibilities. She wanted to give confidence to Moonshae however and quickly divested her armor and clothes, stepping into the warm water with a satisfied sigh. She looked to the elf, who was in the middle of undressing, and turned away, leaning her head back as she listened to her light steps into the bath. With barely a splash, Moonshae settled in the large tub, at first arm’s length away from Krieger. She floated over beside the half-orc.

“Turn around,” she said to her. Krieger did, and she felt something scratchy against her as Moonshae washed her back. She lost herself for a moment in the tenderness of the elf, but did note when she would pause and trace a scar of hers with a soft touch. Krieger was proud of them as they were the evidence of her prowess as a soldier. After she finished, Krieger asked Moonshae to turn, and she did, tucking her knees to her chest as she sat in the bath. Krieger grabbed the sponge, wrang it free, and lightly passed it over Moonshae’s back. Chaedi possessed several scars on her hands, but only a small scattering across her body. Moonshae, on the other hand, had a myriad of scars, small slivers of her experience as a melee combatant. The shifting nature of their body intrigued Krieger, and she wondered just what all it extended to. She had noticed that Moonshae’s bust was more robust than Chaedi’s but also saw that her posterior had flattened during their shift with the moon.

“I’m done,” said Krieger, setting the sponge to float in the water. Moonshae leaned back, drawing a smile from Krieger as she opened her arms and let the elf rest her head against her massive bosom.

“This is nice,” said Moonshae calmly.

Krieger wrapped her arms around the elf, loving how her slender form felt against her in the warm water.

“Can we stay here for a while?” asked Krieger. She felt Moonshae grab her arm, and nod. They basked in the water a while, Krieger’s head swimming with hope that Moonshae was right.

They woke early the next morning, Krieger groaning as Moonshae pulled away from her. The elf had rested in her arms that night, and Krieger lamented to loss of the warmth as she left the bed.

“We should get up,” said Moonshae softly, stirring the half-orc awake. “We have a long ride if you really mean for us to get there in a single day.”

Krieger pulled from her drowsiness, shaking away the webs as she roused herself. Her eyes landed upon Moonshae, the soft starlight in coming through the window giving her pale skin a glow as she dressed.

She thought she was so pretty.

“Something amiss?” asked Moonshae after pulling her shirt on.

“I can’t just help but admire how beautiful you are,” said Krieger as she rose from the bed. Moonshae blushed, but gave her a grateful smile.

They finished getting dressed and packed their belongings for the road. It was the wee hours of the morning, with only a barmaid running both the counter and the floor. Krieger nodded at her as they exited the Silken Sylph and walked out into the empty avenue.

They went to the North Gate, retrieved Midnight and saddled up for the journey.

“Do you know where we are headed?” asked Krieger as she buckled the straps of the harness.

“According to what I was told, we need to reach the southern tip of the Sword Mountains, then follow along the rim of the base until we find a grove. Inside the grove is where the bog is. After that, I think we’ll have to search.”

It seemed really vague to Krieger, but she knew that they were chasing after a myth. Moonshae would go with or without her, and after having been still for so long she could sense that the elf was growing impatient with the city’s supposed vast array of knowledge. Moonshae climbed behind Krieger in the saddle, and wrapped her arms around her. The half-orc cracked the reins, and Midnight started off at a brisk trot.

The stars rolled over them as she rode, stopping only when Krieger sensed that Midnight needed water. As they landscaped rolled by them, Krieger saw the Sword Mountains off in the distance, idly wondering how Celume’s training was going.

The pace was quick, and shortly after the sun passed its zenith, they had arrived at the edge of the mountain range. They paused briefly as Moonshae checked her notes, double checking to make sure they headed the right way from there. Krieger stroked Midnight’s neck, praising the horse for their quick pace through the lands.

“So we just have to keep the mountains to the left of us as we follow the edge,” said Moonshae after rechecking the notes she took down from the library. Krieger saw that she had written down the passages directly from the books, and then saw as several different translations were circled around it. She swelled with pride as she saw the draconic passages several pages later, glad she was able to help with the elves’ quest. She believed that they would find a way to break the curse, but Krieger wasn’t sure if searching through books about fargone legends had been the best decision.

They mounted Midnight and scampered off. Krieger made sure to have the horse keep the mountain range to their left, and before long the sun had sunk behind them, the hour of twilight upon them. There was no grove in sight, and Krieger felt Moonshae growing anxious. Night quickly followed, and Krieger suggested that they camp for the evening, not wishing to risk Midnight’s well-being on a nightly march. Moonshae acquiesced and together they cobbled together a quick camp. Moonshae offered to take first watch, citing that she needed less rest overall compared to Krieger.

She watched the sky, and Krieger knew she was watching the moon rise and descend. She could not imagine being so intimately with something so out of reach. Krieger hated being at the mercy of other people's whims, but to have to give control of herself to something far beyond her control was mind-bending. She started to understand why Moonshae had worked with such desperation; they had been in constant flux longer than the half-orc had been alive, and while she did not doubt that Chaedi and Moonshae cared deeply for one another, she knew they both wanted to be free.

Krieger had vowed to see this path to the end, and if this panned out to nothing, she knew she would follow them where their path took them. Her life felt so complete with the elf at her side, and she felt terror at the thought of losing them.

_No matter the path they walk, I shall be there with them._

Krieger rolled over in her bedroll, her eyes shutting as she listened to her heartbeat.

With camp broken and ashes scattered, Krieger and Moonshae rode along the edge of the mountain range, Midnight’s stride carrying them quickly through the rocky landscape. They found the grove’s edge, and Krieger felt Moonshae clutch onto her as they plunged into its waiting depths.

Several hours passed as they navigated the root-laden ground. It roiled and twisted with gnarls of wood snaking through the soil, and they had opted to travel on foot to spare Midnight an injury.

“These trees seem old,” said Krieger, her gaze going skyward. The canopies were so high all she saw was blackness above.

“Elden Trees,” replied Moonshae. “They’ve most likely been growing since the mountains were lifted from the earth.”

“You think so?” asked Krieger.

The elf nodded, taking large careful steps to prevent from getting tangled. Krieger could feel the age of the trees around her, and felt a sense of reverence come over her. She had been drawn into something involving ancient magics, and while she possessed her own powers, she knew that there were forces in the world that far outstripped her own. She opted to let Moonshae lead her, trusting that her knowledge of the esoteric would keep them both safe.

“Krieger…” said Moonshae, drawing her gaze. Light shone down through the trees as they entered a bog. It was simple, with no evidence of any trees amidst the middle of it. It had been the only clearing they had seen since walking into the groove.

“Is this it?” asked Krieger quietly. Moonshae was consulting her notes, her soft voices speaking in strange tongue as she read.

“This has to be it,” answered Moonshae, walking around. She knelt in a few spots, but as the bog was unyielding in her search. Krieger watched as the elf slowly became more and more disheveled.

Krieger looked around, but she had no idea what she was looking for. “Moonshae, what’s supposed to be here.”

“The Vault of Asimov,” she said, frustration in her voice. “It’s supposed to be in a clearing within the Elden Trees.”

“Does it say anything else?”

Moonshae continued reading, her lips mouthing all the words. “No… I can’t make anything else out.”

They made camp in the clearing, Moonshae pacing around as Krieger brushed Midnight, talking soothingly with the horse as she did. She kept watching Moonshae, but felt unsure of how to comfort her.

The sun started its descent, the sunset basking the clearing in an efflorescent glow. As Krieger rested against her pack, a glint caught her attention from the corner of her eyes. She rose, grabbing her battle axe. Slowly, she stalked over to where she saw the glint, and her mouth when slack when she saw the fading twilight sun reveal a stone door in the center of the bog.

It was set beneath the ground, the face of the door etched with ancient runes in three interlacing arches.

“Moonshae,” she called out, looking around the woods for the signs of any creature that might try to bar their entry.

The elf jogged over, and went quiet as she looked at the door. She knelt down, running a hand over the runes as she read, her voice sounding alien in the strange language. Krieger retrieved her gear and tied Midnight to a nearby tree.

“We’ll be back,” she said, stroking her steed’s mane. She returned to Moonshae’s side and watched the elf dig through her pack until she pulled out a small satchel. She untied the string keeping it shut, and Krieger felt her brow furrow as she poured red glittering dust into her hand.

“What is that?”

“Ruby dust,” she said quietly. “There was a passage about needing ashes of a crimson stone to open the door, so I visited a jeweler and cashed in my favors.”

Krieger frowned. Moonshae’s hand shook as she read the door one more time, and she scattered the dust onto the doors surface. They both held their breath, waiting, and the dust seemed to be sucked into the arches, the array glowing with crimson light. A grinding noise bellowed from below them as the door opened. An ancient wind rushed past them and Krieger grabbed Moonshae, bracing them against it.

A long staircase descended into darkness. They peered into it together, and with a whisper, Moonshae conjured a flame in her hand, the heatless fire licking against her slender fingers.

“Are you ready?” she asked Krieger. With a nod, they descended the stairs.

They reached an ancient room at the bottom of the stairs. Rough hewn stone bricks were set in the walls, thick with ivy and moss, and the floor was set with large stone tiles. Across from them, in the flickering light, stood three armored statues, their stances fixed with their longswords before them. Krieger watched them, her eyes glowing blue as she performed a ritual. Magic laid dormant in the statues, but she couldn’t figure out its nature.

“There’s bones here,” said Moonshae. She had moved to the northern wall, and poked at the remains of what appeared to be several other individuals with her foot. Krieger came to look, kneeling down and checking the bones. They had small nicks and cuts in some, but aside from the ones that looked like they had broken before, they looked relatively unscavenged.

 _Whatever killed them didn’t try to eat them,_ she thought, her gaze trailing back to the armor statues.

“This door… It’s stuck,” said Moonshae, her free hand pushing against the wood. Krieger rose, and walked over, her eyes constantly darting back to the statues. The door seemed to lead to a hallway and there seemed to be no other way forward in the room.

“Step back,” said Krieger. Moonshae shifted behind her, drawing a handaxe from her belt. The half-orc mustered the strength within her, and tucked her head against her shoulder as she slammed against the door. It splintered under might, flying off its hinges but as Krieger recovered, Moonshae’s alarmed cry drew her back to the room.

Moonshae was engaged with one of the statues, its animated blade crashing down. Kreiger saw that the blade didn’t cut into her side, but rather battered against the elf, knocking the wind from her. She staggered back, but drew her axes as a murderous gleam appeared in her eyes.

Krieger barreled into the fray, intercepting the other two statues as they approached Moonshae. Her axe crashed into the animated armor engaged with her beloved, and together with a flury of blows, they dropped it.

The other armors shambled to them, an otherworldly determination in their gait. Krieger squared up before them, slamming her axe against her shield as she roared a challenge at them. The first struck against her, finding a gap in her defense, but she countered, savaging breaking through the ancient mail with a powerful sweep. She expected it to crumble beneath the mighty blow, but the armor still hung before then, striking back with otherworldly vigor. The dull sword battered against her chainmail, but the sting of the blow was not repelled by her armor. Her blood was up though, and Krieger bared her fangs at the armor as she felt her fury build.

Moonshae chanted behind her, and Krieger could tell by the pained gasps that the blow she had received from the first animated armor had seriously wounded her. Her chanting reached a high pitch, and the other animated armor that was approaching them fell to the ground, as if in statis.

“I locked away the magic animating it for now,” she breathed through her gasps, her eyes glowing. “Focus on the one before you.”

Krieger nodded, and released a shout, battering her axe against the animated armor before her. Her first vicious swipe shattered the breastplate, and the followup crumpled its helm. It shuddered for a moment before its magic failed and it fell to the ground in a heap. 

With only one remaining, Krieger and Moonshae pounced upon it with little remorse. Once they saw that it too lost its latent magic, they took a step back. Krieger channeled the power she felt within her, easing the aching bruises she took from the encounter. She heard Moonshae sputter, and the shattering of glass as a vial hit the floor. Moonshae still panted, so Krieger pulled a small bottle from her belt and offered it to her.

“Drink it. You’re still wounded,” said Krieger, dropping it in her hand. She moved down the hallway, her orcish eyes letting her gleam through the darkness as Moonshae drank. They came into another room. 

It was expansive. Several square holes were cut into the ceiling and floor, and the tiles alternated between light and dark stone. A statue of a demonic sorceress sat on the eastern wall, her left hand outstretched and contorted. In the southwest corner of the room was a pile of rubble, the remnants of what looked like an altar.

Moonshae tried to move past Krieger, but she held her back with an outstretched hand.

“Something feels off…” her eyes glinted blue once more as she chanted, and she saw that there was a myriad of latent magic in the room. “Tread carefully.”

Moonshae nodded, stepping forward lightly only to recoil when she saw that the tiel beneath her glowed a faint green when she approached it. She stepped back, and out of the corner of her eyes she saw another tile begin to glow.

“I think… I think it’s responding to the light,” she said as she narrowed her gaze. Krieger took a step outwards, following the tiles southward.

“Follow behind me, but let’s move slow,” said Krieger. She missed Moonshae’s appreciative glance, her estimation of the woman increasing.

They walked together, step by step, following each tile that illuminated until it stopped against the southern wall of the room. Krieger looked to the pile of rubble, and knelt as something caught her eye. She cleared several pieces away, until she found a tile with a new moon drawn upon it, the dark orb hanging in a bed of stars.

“What do you think it’s for?” asked Moonshae quietly as she peered over Krieger’s shoulder. The half-orc shrugged, and continued sifting through the rubble after passing the tile to Moonshae for her to investigate.

Krieger’s search was fruitless however, as she found nothing but more rocks amidst the clutter. Moonshae put away the tile into her back, and let out a noise of surprise as she regarded the wall.

Krieger’s instincts caused her hand to fly to the hilt of her battleaxe, but she let her fury simmer down as she saw what the elf was looking at. In the wake of her revealing flames, an iron-bound chest seemed to melt into existence. Kreiger rose, reaching her hand to stop the elf, but Moonshae had already flipped the latch. The lid creaked open, and both of them stared in awe as they stared at the glittering coins that filled the chest to the brim.

“Maybe it was the wizard’s stash…” said Moonshae. She searched through the chest, but drew away agitated. “It’s not here.”

“What isn’t?”

“What we’re looking for,” said Moonshae vaguely. She dug through the coins, but let out a sigh.

“What exactly are we looking for?” asked Krieger tentatively.

“I’ll know it when I see it,” said Moonshae, regaining her composure. She left the chest open and continued searching the room, heading north when she spotted the wooden door in the alcove.

Krieger pulled a smaller sack from her pack, emptying its contents onto the floor beside the rubble. She dumped the contents of the chest into the sack, and lifted it into her backpack, the clinking coins bringing her a smile.

“This one is stuck too,” said Moonshae as she tugged the door.

“Moonshae… you’re being careless.”

The elf rounded on her, but Krieger stood her ground.

“I understand your eagerness, but we don’t know what we’re dealing with down here. I… I don’t want to lose you, so please, be more cautious.”

Moonshae sense her sincerity, and let out a sigh. “It’s hard, having your goal so close.” Her eyes landed on the door. “This is the only way though.”

Krieger nodded, bracing herself she rammed against the door. It held under her first staggering slam, but her subsequent one shot her into the hallway behind, and she almost stumbled into the next room. As Moonshae brought her light, they found themselves in an odd room. 

The walls were coated in soot, and a set of black runes were set about in a circle in the center. A shattered statue sat in the northeast corner, some kind of dragon-like creature. Krieger saw irregular striations along the floor and the walls, but she couldn’t place their source. Unlike the other rooms in the vault, there was no ivy or moss clinging to the stones. Krieger walked to the statue as Moonshae examined the runes upon the ground.

The statue looked like a dragon, but its wings and claw seemed disfigured. Her yellow eyes scanned it, and she spied a small tile amidst the rubble. With push, she dislodged it from the pile and saw a waning crescent moon drawn upon it.

“I found another one of those tiles,” said Krieger as she picked it up from the ground. Moonshae examined it, and shrugged, not sure what to make of it. She put it in her pack with the other one.

“The runes seem to be used for summoning, but they seem dormant. I don’t think they’ve been used in a long time.”

Krieger scratched her head, but started leaving the room with Moonshae behind. As she approached the archway of the hallway, a strange force rebuffed her and knocked her back.

She pushed against it but it was unyielding. Moonshae placed her hand upon it and she too was repelled. The circle behind them let out an arcane crackle, however, and the array turned blue as it glowed with magic. A large fire appeared in the center and from it stepped a beast shrouded in flames. Its maw dripped with magma and as it opened its mouth, Krieger spied fire within it. It let out a baying howl, and two more amorphous figures stumbled from the flames.

Krieger readied her weapon, but the hound opened its maw and bathed her and Moonshae a cone of flames. They were able to jump from it only slightly singed, but in their panic, they had separated from one another. The amorphous figures shuffled over to Moonshae, surrounding her and threatening to batter her to the ground. She danced and dodged, singing a strange elven melody as she moved, but another wave of fire fell over her and she stumbled to the ground, her clothes and armaments smoldering.

Rage coursed through Krieger when she saw the elf fall, and she mustered her inner power to shroud her battle axe in a swirling sheath of energy. She crashed viciously against the first creature, its claylike flesh breaking and scattered beneath her powerful blow. She will her power further as she advanced upon the other, striking it down in similar fashion before it could even react to its companions fall. A wrenching pain pulled her gaze, as the beast locked its jaws around her leg and attempted to pull her to the ground. She roared, and her muscles swelled with might as she wrenched free from the beast, slamming the side of her axe against its maw as she danced around it.

The beast was clever, however, and circled around enough to get a clear path to Moonshae. It bounded over to her, and Krieger felt her heart stop. With an indignant cry, Krieger raced after the beast, slamming it with the side of her shield as its maw descended down upon her beloved. Her axe cut into the beast’s hide, drawing its ire towards her. It pounced upon her, its maw gripping her shield. Fire erupted around its fang, but Krieger held it at bay long enough to sever its spine with a brutal strike. The beast twitched upon the ground, but was quickly forgotten as Krieger rushed to Moonshae’s side. 

The elf still breathed, but Krieger could tell she had been vastly wounded. Her mind calmed as she called forth soothing magic and laid her hands upon Moonshae. Her mismatched eyes fluttered open, searching.

“Mmmm…” she groaned, rising up and seeing her singed clothes. Krieger wrapped her in a tight embrace, feeling relief washing away her terror. 

“Are you okay?” asked Moonshae, unsure.

Krieger just nodded, taking a deep breath.

Moonshae gazed around at the crumpled corpses around them, and Krieger felt her rest her head on her arm, “It must’ve been quite the frenzy.”

Krieger helped the elf to her feet, and she brushed the dirt and soot from her. She picked up her hand axes and slid them into the hoops on her belt. They scanned the room one last time, and pushed forward, the invisible wall having dissipated.

They worked their way back to the room with the glowing tiles upon the floor.

“Where do we go?” asked Krieger. There hadn’t been another door in the northern room, and the only other option they had was to backtrack.

Moonshae drew up before the statue of the demonic sorceress, searching around the base of it. It seemed like she was looking for another tile, but paused. Her hand traced around the statue’s midriff, following an seemingly innocuous line.

She stepped back, her eyes flickering around the statue. She pressed its eyes, tugged on its ears, and even attempted to pull at its hair. Growling, she grabbed at its outstretched hand and let out a cry of surprise when it spun in her grasp.

She continued to turn it, but it seemed stuck. Krieger moved up to it, and felt the tenseness in the stone. She gave a mighty tug and there was a feeling of something catching and cranking as the hand rotated. The sound of grinding stone filled the room, and Moonshae’s eyes shot to the ceiling.

“Moonshae,” said Krieger quietly, drawing the elf’s attention. The stone of the statue’s midriff had pulled open, revealing a long dark tunnel.

Moonshae stepped in, conjuring a fire within her hand once more. She continued with Krieger following her until they came to an ornate stone door. Moonshae knelt, peering into the keyhole, before pulling for a tiny set of tools with bars and hooks.

“Aren’t those illegal?” asked Krieger.

“Isn’t killing?” replied Moonshae succinctly. Her deft hands worked, clicking in the silence, and eventually there was a latching sound as the door was unlocked.

Moonshae turned the handle. It glided open, revealing a relatively empty room. There was another broken statue to the northwest, and a wooden portcullis directly across from them. Moonshae dug through the remains of the statue and found a tile with a waxing crescent moon upon its surface.

They examined the rest of the room together, finding another ornate stone door to the south. Krieger tugged at it, and it seemed it could open. When Moonshae examined the lock, however, it was smashed in and inaccessible. 

“If I reset the statue in the tunnel, and locked the door,” said Moonshae, “We could take some time to rest here.”

“Is there anything in your notes that says how large the vault is?” asked Krieger, sheathing her axe at her side. Moonshae pulled her journal from within her cloak, and sifted through it.

“No, not that I can tell,” she said after examining them. “If you’re feeling doubtful…”

Krieger grabbed the elf by the shoulders, resisting the urge to shake her. She looked into her mismatched eyes, and began talking but froze. Moonshae’s normally reserved face was filled with uncertainty. Fear was in her eyes, but Krieger felt it wasn’t for them. It was the fear that she was wrong, and that they could be stuck in the vault forever.

“We can’t think like that right now,” said Krieger. “Let’s take a small rest and bind our wounds. From there, we’ll push on, and if we find ourselves running ragged then we’ll come back to this room and secure it so we can rest.”

They stopped a while, Krieger watching as Moonshae removed her cloth. Crusted blood stuck to her shirt beneath, and the elf’s moments were stiff and measured, with each one punctuated with a small hiss.

“Would you like me to help you?” asked Krieger as she saw Moonshae struggling with her kit. The elf nodded and Krieger helped wrap her chest, tensing as she heard Moonshae suck in a breath.

“I think I might have a broken rib,” said the elf.

Krieger frowned. She set her pack down and dug through it, pulling forth two vials of red liquid. She offered them to Moonshae, but the elf pushed them back towards her.

“Take them,” insisted Krieger.

“What if you need them?”

“I have plenty more. I want you to have them.”

This continued for some time until eventually, she agreed. “How do we move forward though?” she asked, as she unstoppered a vial and drank it. She shuddered afterwards, but seemed to sit up straighter. 

Krieger grinned, flexing her muscles as she approached the portcullis. She took measure of it and peered up into the archway above it. Moonshae pulled her cloak back on, and tested her side, nodding with a smile as she followed Krieger.

“Be ready to dash through once I get it open,” said Krieger. She knelt and grabbed the lower bars and with a roar, pulled them up. She felt the mechanism fighting against her, but soon it was rising as her muscles swelled. It clanked and metal groaned, but soon it was gliding upwards as she pulled. Moonshae darted underneath once there was enough space, and Kreiger managed to get it to chest height. She squatted, and started shifting beneath it, preparing to spring forward. Moonshae gave her room, and Krieger slid beneath, the portcullis dropping harshly behind her. Thankful she didn’t get it caught on the cloak the elf had given her, Krieger rose from the ground. 

A long corridor loomed ahead of them, and Krieger took the lead her senses on high. She was still huffing from lifting the gate, but reassured Moonshae that she was fine. She stopped suddenly, causing the elf to bump into her, when she felt a prickle in her neck.

Along the sides of some of the tiles, she spotted that the moss that had been ubiquitous throughout the vault was gone. She knelt down, carefully approaching the closest tile, and saw scratches near the base of the corridor.

Krieger drew a javelin from her pack, pressing the tip roughly against the first tile. It seemed steady and she held a hand up as she slid a foot onto it. She shifted her weight slowly, ready to jump away at the first sign of it falling away, but it held her. She did the same with the next time, but as she started shifting her weight, she felt the tile begin to shudder and drew away.

“We’ll have to jump it,” said Krieger, turning back to Moonshae. “I have a feeling that those tiles will fall away if we try to cross them.”

Moonshae looked over her shoulder, and Krieger knelt, pointing out the small nuances in the corridor.

“I’ll go first. If I do fall…” started Krieger. Moonshae interrupted her with a kiss.

“You won’t. Go now, I’ll be right behind.”

Krieger nodded, bolstered by her confidence. She ran, and leaped over the tiles, ramming against the wall opposite of her when she landed. She had cleared all of them.

Moonshae came from further back, and Krieger watched as the elf performed a handspring over the tiles, effortlessly gliding through the air. She landed behind Krieger, and with a smirk, they continued onwards.

The corridor continued westward, by Krieger’s approximation. Just when she thought that it seemed endless, they arrived at another stone door. This one had silver runes placed upon it, and surprisingly Krieger understood.

It was draconic, and she read it aloud.

_“So call thee, arch a von.”_

She glanced at Moonshae, who had her journal out and was flipping through the pages. She shook her head at Krieger.

The half-orc took a breath, and grabbed at the latch. It swung smoothly, and they stepped into the room.

The first thing she noticed was the large humanoid statue standing directly across from them, its arms at its side and head hung low. The north and east walls were engraved with endless spirals, and a shattered sword was laying in the south-west corner of the room. The rubble of a statue sat in the southeast corner.

Krieger walked up to the statue, noting that it too was crumbling away. Large chunks of stone were missing from it, and it seemed that the top half portion of its face was fading away. Krieger saw several runes banding around the limbs of the statue, but they were black and some were in the cracked stone.

She left that statue as Moonshae looked over the spirals on the walls. Krieger sorted through the rubble and found another tile with a full moon upon its surface. She pieced together by now that they were important, but was unsure of where to use them. The half-orc paced around the room until she found a door in a southern alcove. It was as elaborate as the one they saw at the entrance, and when she tested the latch, she found too that it was unlocked.

Upon releasing the latch, however, she heard shifting stone. Fearing the room might be moving, she ran to Moonshae and pulled the elf to the entrance, only to find it sealed shut. A low voice, gravelly and deep, spoke from the statue.

“Vault entered. Dispatch identification,” it said, its head tilting upwards. It locked upon the pair of them, small blue lights appearing in its broken sockets.

“What do we do?” asked Krieger. Moonshae flipped through her notes, sweat beading at her brow.

“Er… Asimov?” she called out tentatively. The golem shifted.

“Code?”

Krieger’s mind worked fervently, trying to piece together something that could help them. They hadn’t found anything else inside the vault though that had a name .

“Code?” asked the golem, taking a step forward.

Krieger took an estimation of the golem, and knew that their odds in combat against it were slim at best. She took a breath, ready to draw her axe should her answer fail.

“Code?”

“I call thee, Archavon,” she said, hoping the script in the door was a reminder for the long forgotten wizard.

The golem hitched and lowered its arms, “Archavon, vault watcher, ready.”

Relief washed through Krieger, “What are you doing?”

“Last order was to protect the vault. New orders?”

Krieger pondered for a moment, “Allow us to pass to the vault. Continue your watch otherwise?”

“Exceptions added. Half-orc, Yellow eyes. Moon elf, magenta and violet eyes. Watch resumed.” The golem stepped back into its nook, and became inactive once more.

Krieger was shaking, but surprised that it worked. She went to the door Moonshae at her side, and with a look to the golem, pulled the latch.

She revealed a short corridor ending in a wall. There was an elegant mural painted on the wall with four separate images spread in a circle. At the top, a baby was being laid in a cradle amidst a starry night. To the right of that, a young child walked along the end of a riverbank amidst a dawning sun. At the bottom was a couple embracing one another with the sun in the sky above them. Lastly, to the left of that, was an old man laying atop an altar with rose on his chest, the sun setting. Beside each of the images was a square divot.

Moonshae ran her hands over the images, stopped at the divots. She pulled forth a tile from her pack.

“They fit,” she observed, setting one in the divet. Together, they placed them into all four divots, and stood back.

Nothing happened.

Puzzled, they started swapping them around. Eventually, Krieger set one into a square and the stone glowed blue, molding around it to seal it in. Moonshae found another, and Krieger swap the last two, their stone forms melding into the mural.

The stone shifted, peppering them with dust and rubble. A breeze emanated from before then, and they were presented with a long set of stairs.

Moonshae took a step forward, despite Krieger’s protest, and the half-orc followed behind her. As they descended, they were shrouded in darkness. The flames glowing in Moonshae’s hand only illuminated a few steps before them and behind, and when Krieger glanced behind them, there was no evidence of the door they had crossed through to get there.

After some time, the stairs ended against smooth black stone. Moonshae walked in, letting out a sound of astonishment.

They had arrived in a natural cave, its rocky walls adorned with four pillars. In the center before them, hewn from the black stone of the cave, was a small altar, with a bottle seated upon it. Moonshae glanced back at Krieger before taking a step forward. The pillars glowed as blue flames erupted from their tips, lighting the cavern.

Krieger walked with Moonshae, sweat beading on her brow as she approached the bottle. It seemed to be fashioned from platinum, with three bands that ran vertically along the surface. Each band had dark black runes on it, but two of the bands were missing several of the runes. A cork plugged the top of it, cracked and faded with age.

“This is it…” said Moonshae, her voice barely a whisper.

“What is it?”

“The legends say that the wizard had a bottle filled with magic to grant the heart’s desires. I didn’t think it was true, but it matches everything I could find about it. Silvery in nature, with long stripes along its surface.” She lifted from the altar, bringing Krieger alarm, but nothing happened. She held it with trembling hands, her eyes filled with tears. Her hand shook as she set it upon the cork, but Krieger set her hand on it.

“Are you sure this is it?”

“It has to be,” said Moonshae, her voice tinged with desperation. Krieger saw it again, the stress of the long hunt on her face. Moonshae told her that she and Chaedi had been afflicted with the curse when they were young, and she already was over twice the half-orc’s age. Decades of searching finally led them here, and Krieger knew that the elf’s heart would break if this turned out to be a farce. She wanted this to be the end of their trails so badly.

“Then together,” she said, brushing a strand of hair from Moonshae’s face. She looked up at Krieger, her eyes rimmed with gratitude, and nodded. Together, they wrenched the cork from the bottle.

As the cork slipped free, a rush of hot wind shot from it, swirling in a small vortex around them that threatened to throw them to the ground. Krieger held onto Moonshae her eyes shut as a long shout came from the bottle in an otherworldly voice.

“ _WAAAAAAAHOOOOOOOO!_ ” It shouted. The vortex around them coalesced into a figure, the wind turning to a red-skinned humanoid that floated before them, a trail of the wind leaking from the bottle. He was bared-chested, but wore a belt with a long blue cloth trimmed with coins from it.

“I have to say, five hundred years trapped inside a bottle is _not_ good for the back!” his booming voice shouted. “Asimov, we gotta talk about these living conditions!”

The figure towered over them, rubbing its eyes before scrunching its brow and moving closer to them, “Saaaay, Asimov was only one person, and he was definitely neither an elf or orc!”

He leaned back, stretching languidly before letting out a large yawn and leaning forward the air before them, “So then. I take it you’ve heard of me.”

Moonshae and Krieger looked at the being that towered over them, stumped. The elf slowly shook her head. He drew back, aghast.

“What? You’ve never heard of the Great Ghiseda?! Preposterous! Although, I admit, I have been trapped for a very, very long time. Almost too long, now that I think about it.” He said, pondering to himself as he tapped his finger on his head. “Either way, I see two mortals before me! So tell me, which one of you has come to Ghiseda?”

Moonshae put up a shaky hand, looking to Krieger for support.

“Come now, front and center, don’t make me strain my eyes anymore than I have to. Asimov loved his flair, and the blue flames are not exactly the best forms of lighting.”

Moonshae’s shaky form stood before the towering man, and he seemed to examine her.

“I see, so very peculiar. I can already imagine what you would want, Moonshae of Mitarn. And yet, you hesitate? Come now, ask me and it shall be!” said Ghiseda.

“Ghiseda…” she started.

“Ah ah, it’s ‘The Great Ghiseda’. From the top now,” he said, wagging a finger at her.

“The Great Ghisesa, I request from you a single wish…” she said.

“Are you sure about that? Even from here, I can see that your heart quivers with two,” he said with a sly smirk. Moonshae looked back to Krieger, tears streaming from her eyes.

Ghiseda looked to the half-orc, “Go then, talk it over. It’s not like I’m going anywhere,” he grumbled. Moonshae ran to Krieger, and tucked herself against the half-orc’s chest, tears falling.

“What’s wrong?”

“Chaedi… She wants something else for our wish, and I can’t decide anymore…” choked out Moonshae.

“I thought this was what you both wanted.”

“It was! Until we met you…” she said, her tear-filled eyes staring up at Krieger.

Krieger froze, confused. “You’ve been searching for so long.”

“We’ve wanted this for so long Elizaveta, but you…” she coughed, “Chaedi wants to be with you longer… She says it’s not fair that you’ve given us so much, only to be taken from us so soon.”

Krieger felt dread flow through her. She had thought of this, many a night. The elf had wormed her way into her heart, but she thought it cruel to them. Krieger was already approaching the middle of her life. She could feel it in her body when she woke some days, but Chaedi and Moonshae would remain forever youthful for centuries to come.

“It’s okay,” she said. “I’ve made my peace with that already.” It was true. While she wrestled with the inevitable, her friend had talked sense into her, reminding her that even if that were the case, that she should be with them no matter how numbered the days.

“But Chaedi hasn’t. She can’t. And… I understand why. We love you Elizaveta, so much. You’ve given us more happiness and hope than we have seen in decades. I can’t… I can’t imagine what would happen without you.”

Krieger felt the warmth course through her. She hugged the elf tightly, her own tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

“Will you… will you help us decide?” asked Moonshae softly. “Please?”

Krieger paused.

“It’s a big choice, we know… but we trust you. I fear that the indecision in my heart will warp our wish into something cruel.”

Krieger took a moment, then nodded to herself. She approached Ghiseda, mustering all the resolve she felt she had ever needed.

“Great Ghiseda,” she called out, stirring the figure. He pulled before her, his red eyes scanning her. His smile went wide.

“You can see my heart’s desire, yes?” asked Krieger, her tears forming in her eyes.

“Loud and clear! And dare I say that is what you wish?” asked Ghiseda, swimming around her.

She felt her heartbreaking as tears fell down her eyes. She looked him dead in the face, mustering her resolve, “Free them. Break the curse upon them. Let them be two once more, but bless them with the way they should’ve been born. Let both their hearts and souls know everything it means to be alive.”

“Are you certain?”

She clenched her fists, tears falling from her face. “Yes. This is what I wish.”

Ghiseda pursed his lips, his eyes twinkling. He nodded after scanning Krieger once more. “You’ve got heart, I’ll give you that.”

He let out an uproar, his form turning once more into a swirling vortex. His voice echoed throughout the cavern and Krieger lost Moonshae as the vortex thickened.

She awoke, her face against the damp ground of the bog. She stumbled to her feet, the forest around them bathed in a glow. The vault entrance was gone. Midnight, still tied to the tree, snacked contentedly on a bush nearby.

Krieger looked around until she saw another figure on the ground. Slender and with pale skin. She went to her side, kneeling as her shaking hands turned her over.

The elf stirred, “I’m so tired…” she said.

Krieger lifted her into a hug. The elf embraced her tightly, and when they broke, Krieger saw it.

Two violet eyes.

Tears streamed down her face. Chaedi ran her hand across her cheek, “Thank you. Thank you so much…”

The sound of brush moving beside them drew their attention. Another elf with magenta eyes walked to them, covered in leaves and detritus.

“Chaedi, we’re free,” said Moonshae. Her voice was a slightly lower octave than Chaedi’s. She knelt with them, grabbing Krieger’s head and giving her a deep kiss. As her hand ran along the half-orc’s head, she flinched and drew away.

“Eliza, you ears…” she said, trailing her hand up them.

Krieger reached up, her fingers feeling her ears. They had become more elongated, and tapered to finer points than before.

“Wha…”

“ _WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOO”_ shouted a familiar voice. A vortex swirled around them, eventually ending with Ghiseda floating before them.

“Yknow, I’ve met many, _many,_ people in my lifetime. A lot of them had hearts filled with greed, thinking that if they found me, they could quench their eternal hunger with baubles and trinkets. Neverending life, and king’s horde, you name it and they had thought of it. It was as if giving them more riches and time would solve the true ailments of their soul.”

He shrunk himself, shifting to become a tall red-skinned man as he knelt with them. His red eyes looked upon Krieger with appreciation. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen someone go so diametrically against the yearnings of their heart. And with so much gusto! Bravo, Elizaveta Krieger. Bravo.”

“What-What did you do?” asked Kreiger as her hands ran up her ears.

“What I said would. They are free! Free from the curse and free to live the way life was supposed to be,” said Ghiseda. “The way they want. And what they want is to spend it with you, so I tinkered a bit.

“I saw the elvish in your heritage, Elizaveta Krieger. Rarely do orcs and elves couple, and I thought ‘well a rare request with a rare woman! How could I not have fun?””

Krieger felt herself shaking. Did he change her?

“Come now, if I wanted I could’ve warped and twisted your wish to whatever I wanted. It’s what we’re good at, we efreeti. So I did, except for the first time in a long time, I’ve given more than I took.

“I blossomed the elf inside of you, Elizaveta Krieger. So long as no blade, nor disease, nor misfortune falls upon you, you shall be able to spend many, many years with the women you want most.”

Krieger’s tears fell anew as the weight in her heart evaporated. Ghiseda rose up, brushing off his knees, a smile on his face.

“Thank you,” said Moonshae, rising up and giving Ghiseda a bow. Chaedi joined her, and helped Krieger to her feet as well. They all gave him grateful bows, tears falling to the ground.

“Come now, you keep that up, and people will start to think something of me!” he said, looking around as if people were surrounding them. He grinned once more before hopping from the ground and levitating into the sky.

Krieger wiped her eyes, laughing as she felt her new angular features. She felt vital, like she did the day she had joined her old military company. She looked to the women at her sides, their faces beaming with delight.

“Come Chaedi. Moonshae. Let’s leave this place. Together.”

They nodded.

Their return to Waterdeep took a few days, as Midnight could not carry all three of them. Krieger would watch them talk excitedly with one another as they camped, and each night she found herself wrapped in both elves’ embrace.

As they crossed through the North Gate, a pang went through Krieger’s heart. Both women walked beside her now, but how could Krieger choose between them? 

Chaedi was still as gracious and genial as she had been, but now she seemed to adore playing small little harmless pranks on her. Whenever she would get caught, she would stare at Krieger with her deep violet eyes filled with mischievous innocence.

Moonshae was still cunning and meticulous, but Krieger noticed that she seemed to keep an eye on her more, helping whenever Krieger felt herself weary. She would give Krieger a soothing smile whenever she helped her, her bright magenta eyes glittering.

They walked together to the Silken Sylph, Chaedi bouncing with every step while Moonshae glided along. Krieger was still getting used to the women, and every now and then would confuse them. They didn’t get mad though. In fact, it seemed they found it rather amusing.

“Chaedi, why don’t you take Eliza for a bath while I go finish up some stuff?” said Moonshae as they approached the inn.

“Oh a bath sounds lovely!” chimed Chaedi, grabbing Krieger’s arm and pulling her inside. Moonshae laughed and meanderd off, leaving Krieger confused.

They made for the basement, with Chaedi dropping a small sack of coins onto the counter to quell his protest. The baths were relatively empty, with another patron leaving them as they entered. Chaedi cheerfully stripped down, sinking into the bath with a satisfied sigh.

“Well, don’t just stand there!” she called out, making Krieger chuckle. She removed her armor and clothes and hopped into the bath alongside her, resting against the elf. Chaedi hummed softly as she held the half-orc.

“So it’s done then…” said Krieger. “You don’t have to search anymore.”

She felt Chaedi nod, “It’s a weird feeling, not having this lingering thought that every moment not following some obscure trail or detail is wasted. It’s… soothing.”

Krieger opened her eyes, and saw Chaedi resting her head against the side of the bath, her eyes shut as she continued humming.

“Do you know where Moonshae was planning on going?” asked Krieger.

“‘Fraid I don’t! Although you needn’t worry, she should be back later.”

“I just worry about the both of you. It’s a hard feeling to relinquish.”

She felt Chaedi’s soft lips brush against her forehead. “I know.”

Krieger looked down at her hands. Before, they were stocky, her orcish heritage clearly apparent in them. Now though, she could see the slenderness in them, the litheness that belied her strength. It was peculiar. Whenever she woke now, she was greeted with vital energy that seemed boundless, and she had a hard time adjusting to this newfound stamina.

They stayed in the bath a while, rising when their stomachs stirred them from their rest. After drying off and getting dressed, they grabbed a meal and took it to their room.

“Chaedi?”

“Yes?”

“I—” her words caught in her throat. Chaedi smiled at her, waiting, but their attention was pulled from them by a knock on the door.

Chaedi bounced over to the door, opening it to reveal Moonshae. She closed the door behind her, dropping her pack upon the ground as she scooped up a piece of Krieger’s meal. She sat upon the table, moving the other dishes.

“Hungry?” asked Chaedi.

“Famished! Now that I’m done with all that nonsense, I could use a nice long nap.”

“Not yet, I hope. Elizaveeta was just about to tell me something.”

“Oh? I’m glad I came back when I did!”

They both looked at the half-orc, Moonshae spooning the rest of Krieger’s meal into her mouth. Krieger cleared her throat.

“I don’t know what to do,” she stated simply.

“About what?”

Krieger hesitated.

“Come now, sister, isn’t it obvious? She means about us.”

“Oh! I guess I hadn’t thought about it…”

“I hadn’t put too much thought into it, but I won’t say it didn’t cross my mind.”

Krieger shook her head, trying to keep herself steady. “It’s just…”

“You have two of us to pick from.”

“And it’s not an easy choice, believe me!”

“Moonshae!”

“What?”

“Can’t you see she’s being serious?”

“As am I!”

They laughed together, bringing levity to the situation. Krieger leaned back in her chair. 

“I’m serious!”

“We know,” they chimed.

“How can I possibly pick between you two? I fell in love with you both!”

“Well obviously,” started Moonshae, “there’s only one answer.”

She rose from the table, pointing the spoon at Chaedi as she crouched into a battle stance, “We’ll duel for it!”

Chaedi jumped up, similarly crouching, “Woe to you if you think you’ll win!”

Krieger stood from her chair, not appreciating the mocking tone of the twins, “Stop it.”

“Oh please, settle yourself. It was a joke.”

“I’d win anyways.”

“Oh? Would you like to test that?”

They glared at each other, only to break into laughs.

“Stop it,” said Krieger.

They both looked at her, Chaedi concerned while Moonshae smirked.

“It seems her patience is wearing thin. How are you supposed to handle it then?”

“Handle what?”

“Both of us,” said Chaedi.

Krieger went slack jawed. “I.. uhh.. What?”

“What she’s saying is, why have to choose at all?”

“You think both of us aren’t grateful for what you did, Elizaveeta?”

“I didn’t think you’d both want me… You’re free now. You don’t have to.”

Both of them walked up to her, each sliding a hand up their face.

“Oh Eliza, you don’t get it. You fell in love with both of us.” said Moonshae.

“And both of us fell in love with you,” continued Chaedi. “You never considered us one person after we told you about the curse.”

“And that means more than you can possibly mean. Even our own family only ever called us ‘Chaedi’.”

“That’s because it’s a good name!”

Moonshae glared at her sister, before turning back to Krieger, who was still stunned. She couldn’t believe it.

“Are you sure?”

“That’s something I should be asking you! You can’t expect me to believe you hadn’t thought about it.”

“But… Sharing me with your sister?”

Both of them laughed.

“We’ve already _done_ that, Krieger. It’s not new.” said Moonshae.

“Although I admit, it will be a tad different now.”

Krieger still seemed undecided, but Moonshae got a devilish grin on her face. She whispered something to Chaedi in Elvish and the other elf mirrored her smile.

“Perhaps we are being a bit premature about this. Moonshae seems to know how we can settle this…”

“How?” asked Krieger. Moonshae ran to her pack, and pulled out a length of cloth. Chaedi rested her head against Krieger’s chest, drawing on it as she replied.

“It’s simple: we’ll both make love to you, and whomever you like the most, you stay with.”

Krieger’s face flamed. “W—what?!”

“Are you not up for it?” asked Chaedi. Krieger’s mind almost toppled. She took several steps back, stopping when she hit the foot of the bed.

“Oh perfect!” said Chaedi. She pushed Krieger, who fell heavily onto the mattress.

Moonshae moved behind the half-orc, and tied the cloth around her eyes.

“Wait, what are you doing?” said Krieger, reached up for it.

“It’ll be unfair if you can see,” whispered Moonshae with a sultry voice, grabbing Krieger’s hands and lowering them. She kissed her neck, sending chill through Krieger’s spine.

“Sis, help me get her stuff off first!”

“Right,” Krieger felt Moonshae leave from behind her as Chaedi tugged at her pants. She lifted the edge of the cloth, and Moonshae looked up at her.

“Ah ah ah!” she said. She went to her pack again as Chaedi wrestled with her shirt, and pulled out some more cloth.

“What, are you gonna bind my hands?” asked Kriger with a smirk.

“Precisely!”

“Wait, no!”

Moonshae pounced upon Krieger, straddling her and binding her wrists together as Krieger tried to fight her off. She looped one end of the cloth around her wrist, and wrapped it around the other, tying it tightly.

“There we go!” said Moonshae cheerily as straddled Krieger. She kissed the tip of her nose and replaced the cloth over her eyes. The half-orc only remained in the cloth she used to bind her breasts and the small undergarments she wore beneath her trousers.

“Aww, Moonshae she looks really nervous,” said Chaedi.

“Do you want us to stop, Eliza? We will if you wish, and we can figure out another method of fixing your crisis,” asked Moonshae, her concern evident in her voice.

Krieger couldn’t decide. She felt timid with her hands bound and her eyes covered, but the wetness she felt between her legs coupled with the tingling she felt in her navel eased it.

“Is this... What you two want to do?” she felt foolish asking.

“Mmhm.”

“Yep!”

Krieger gulped, but nodded, “I think I can handle this…”

She heard twin cheers and the sounds of them divesting their clothes. A tingling went through her while they chatted in Elvish to one another. She felt a slender form settle behind her and rest her head against their breasts.

“Are you ready?” her voice whispered in her ear.

Krieger nodded with gulp.

Her breasts were freed, and Krieger felt a hungry mouth latch upon them, sucking and licking at her nipples. Occasionally, there were light bites, sending shocks through the half-orc. The elf behind her nibbled on her earlobe, and placed kisses upon her neck, drawing heated sighs from Krieger. 

She fought against the bonds around her wrists, but to no avail. She felt harder and harder bites against her breasts, and she hissed when she felt the teeth leave her skin, knowing that there was going to be a mark.

“Oops!” said the voice. She felt a finger trace around it as it stung.

_That has to be Chaedi._

Hands reached from around her waist, rising up to cup both of her breasts.

“They’re just so…”

“Right?”

She felt her nipples rolled between the elf’s fingers, causing her to arch as the elf tweaked them.

The last of her clothes were pulled from her, and Krieger’s face flamed when she felt a light touch against her sex.

“Mmmm… you always look so good, Elizaveta.”

_It was Chaedi!_

Krieger panted as her fingers teased around her sex, shivers going down her spine as Moonshae continued to fondle her breasts. She felt her lips spread and trembled as she felt Chaedi’s finger slowly, so agonizingly so, slid into her. Moonshae straddled her once more, cupping her face as she gave Krieger a deep kiss. She didn’t relent in her fondling though, twisting and pulling on Krieger’s nipples as their tongues danced together. She could feel Moonshae’s cream on her stomach as she straddled her, and felt the elf grind against her.

Her mind skipped for a moment when she felt Chaedi’s tongue plunder her sex, the deft elf dancing the tip of it against her pearl. Krieger moaned in Moonshae’s mouth as she bit her neck, her arms pulling against the binds.

“Yes…” she moaned, “more... Please…”

Another finger slid in with the first, hitching Krieger’s back. Moonshae hopped from her waist, and Krieger felt confused as Chaedi pulled away, whining as her touch left her.

A weight settled on her chest, and a new set of lips locked onto Krieger’s. They were filled with yearning, and Krieger could taste herself on Chaedi’s lips. She felt the moisture grow between her legs, and she squirmed, trying to relinquish herself from the cloth.

Moonshae started chanting though, and that alarmed Krieger. She tried to move her head around, but Chaedi grabbed it. 

“Uh uh,” she whispered, “Just relax. You’re going to enjoy this.”

Krieger felt something wide slide into her sex, and she let out a long moan as it did. She couldn’t figure out what it was, though, as it seemed textureless.

“My sister has a couple of… lesser known tricks up her sleeves,” said Chaedi, kissing Krieger. “We’ve traveled to many places, and she has a habit of collecting spells.”

Moonshae continued chanting, and the force continued within Krieger, each thrust driving the doubts from her mind, replacing them with pleasure. It passed over a spot inside of her, and Krieger seized in pleasure as a shock ran through her.

“Seems like you found it,” called Chaedi to Moonshae. There was a pause, a long agonizing one as Krieger wished for them to do something. Her hair was standing on end in anticipation, the only sensation she could feel being the lithe elf atop her.

Then she felt all of the force she felt before focus on that one spot, and it thrummed against her, Moonshae singing reaching a fevered pitch. Krieger’s mind fluttered wildly as the pleasure pulse through her, building behind her navel. She let out a scream, and her legs and body trembled. Moonshae didn’t relent, her singing speeding up in time with the pulsating, and Chaedi latched onto Krieger’s breasts, biting and sucking while the orc writhed in pleasure.

Her words were a garbled mess as she shrieked, and there was a pain in her wrist as she felt the cloth tear and give way to her fury. She wrenched the cloth from her eyes, and Chaedi looked up, surprised.

“Oh dear!”

Krieger rose on shaky legs, moving Moonshae from her and grabbing and lifting Chaedi. The elf looked fearful but screamed in pleasure as Krieger bit her neck, her fangs leaving deep marks in her skin.

She threw Chaedi onto the bed, climbed over top of her, and kissed her heatedly. The elf went limp underneath her passion, her hands trying to wrap around Krieger, but the half-orc grabbed both of them and wrenched them above her, leaving her breasts hanging free.

She bit them, their softness stirring her passions to new height as she tugged at her nipples with her teeth.

“Now that’s not very fair,” called a voice from behind her. Krieger looked up, and saw Moonshae smirking at her, her arms crossed over her bosom. Kreiger similarly tried to wrap herself around the elf, but she darted around her, and tripped her, causing Krieger to fall to the other bed.

Moonshae pounced upon her, calling to Chaedi. She sat astride Krieger’s face, and ground her sex against her mouth, mewling when she felt the half-orc’s tongue plunder her sex. Chaedi dove between Krieger’s legs, her practice tongue sending rolling pleasure through Krieger. Moonshae fondled Krieger’s breasts as she rode, and her juices streamed down the sides of Krieger’s face, her words splitting between Elvish and Common in pleasure.

Krieger lifted Moonshae slightly and plunged her fingers into the elf’s eager sex, stroking within the warmth. Moonshae shuddered, falling forward as Krieger continued thrusting, her weeping sex clenching around her fingers. She howled, her voice filled with pleasure, and rolled from atop of Krieger, panting as she laid against the ground.

Krieger let out another moan of pleasure. Chaedi had continued, and when Krieger pulled her to her feet, she lifted the elf effortlessly. She tossed her once more unto the bed, and taking a leaf from Moonshae’s book, straddled her face as she leaned forward and feasted on her sex. Chaedi continued with determination, only halting when her pleasure overcame her ability to remain focused. Krieger felt her trembling underneath her, and ran her fingers over her pearl rapidly, turning her moans and mewling into incoherent babbling. 

Krieger rose from the bed, panting from their coupling. She still couldn’t make up her mind as she watched the twin elves slowly recover. They languidly slid into Krieger’s bed and beckoned for the half-orc to join them.

She nestled between them, her mind swimming with indecision.

“I think you cheated at the end there,” said Moonshae.

Chaedi yawned, “Well, did you decide?”

Krieger cleared her throat, “You truly mean I can have you both? That’s okay?”

Chaedi nuzzled her head against Krieger’s while Moonshae rested her upon her bosom, “Yes. Krieger. She wants you. I want you. What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing, I say,” said Moonshae. “As long as that is what you want.”

She laid a moment, basking in the warmth and love she felt from the two elves.

“That is what I want…”

A sense of contentedness ran through Krieger as she laid there, the pale moonlight coming in from the window. She fell asleep, happiness singing in her heart.


End file.
